Samuel Rodriguez

Samuel Rodriguez is the President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), the world’s largest Hispanic Christian organization with 42,000 plus U.S. churches and many additional churches spread throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora.  

[Release] Rev. Samuel Rodriguez’s Breakthrough nominated for Original Song Academy Award

Jan. 14, 2020
LOS ANGELES — “I’m Standing With You,” an original song from the faith-inspired film Breakthrough, has been nominated for an Academy Award.

“I’m Standing With You” joins songs from blockbuster films such as Toy Story 4 (“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” by Randy Newman), Frozen II (“Into the Unknown” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez) and Rocketman (“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin) as a contender for the Original Song Academy Award.

Written and composed by Diane Warren, “I’m Standing With You” is performed by Chrissy Metz (This is Us), who stars in Breakthrough.

“We are incredibly proud of this nomination, which in itself is an accomplishment and a testament to the storytelling power of faith. Hollywood needs more stories of hope that speak into the deepest needs in the human heart. We are so thankful Breakthrough has touched the hearts of not only so many moviegoers but also film critics who are noticing these films. To God be the glory,” said Breakthrough executive producer Rev. Samuel Rodriguez.

Breakthrough is based on the true life story of the resurrection of John Smith, a 14-year-old boy from St. Louis who fell into an ice-covered lake and was pronounced dead. Metz plays John’s mother Joyce Smith, whose faith sparked a prayer movement to bring John back to life. Defying every expert and all case history, John miraculously walked out of the hospital on his own strength, only 16 days later.

Breakthrough — which came in at No. 3 at the box office on its opening weekend — won Inspirational Film of the Year at the 50th GMA Dove Awards last October.

The movie was produced by filmmaker DeVon Franklin (Miracles from Heaven and Heaven is for Real) and directed by Roxann Dawson. Rev. Rodriguez, Stephen Curry and Becki Cross Trujillo served as executive producers. Rev. Rodriguez became the first Hispanic evangelical leader to serve as executive producer of a major theatrical release.

Winners will be announced at the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb. 9.

Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez is the pastor of New Season, a church in Sacramento, California, chairman of the Congress of Christian Leaders and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. He is the executive producer of “Breakthrough” with 20th Century Fox and “Flamin’ Hot” with Fox Searchlight Pictures and the bestselling author of “You Are Next” (Charisma House Publishing). CNN and FOX News have called him “the leader of the Hispanic Evangelical movement” and TIME magazine nominated him among the 100 most influential leaders in America.

The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference is recognized and identified by Time Magazine, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Christianity Today, Charisma Magazine, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, Fox News and CNN as America’s largest and most influential Hispanic/Latino Christian organization with more than 40,000 certified member churches in the United States and chapters in Latin America.

Website | www.nhclc.org    Twitter | @nhclc