JONATHAN & DEBORAH FLORA

Our Guest Speakers for the 2008 Prayer Breakfast, Convention and Rally was husband and wife creative team Jonathan and Deborah Flora!

JONATHAN FLORA
Writer/Director/Producer

Jonathan Flora has over fifteen years’ experience in the entertainment industry.  He is a producer for worldwide DVD releases by The Walt Disney Company including Disney Pictures, Pixar, Touchstone, Miramax, and Hollywood Pictures, winning numerous Key Art and Promax Awards.  In addition, he directs commercials and music videos for Disney with artists such as Kenny Loggins, Michael Crawford and more. 

Jonathan is also the writer and director of A Distant Thunder, the critically acclaimed film that is touching hearts and changing lives across the nation.  The film was honored at the International Christian Visual Media Association with the Gold Crown Award For Best Screenplay, Gold Crown Award For Best Drama and the Silver Crown Award For Best Picture.  It has aired on cable, in schools, universities and youth groups; and after screening the film on Capitol Hill, the Floras received a letter from President Bush thanking them.  Steve McEveety, one of the producers of The Passion of The Christ, also has praised the film. 

As a writer, Jonathan’s articles and columns have been appeared in numerous publications and websites, including Renew America and The Conservative Voice.  Previously, he worked in marketing and public relations with the Los Angeles and Vero Beach Dodgers, as well as serving as Director of Marketing and Corporate Sponsorships with the World Wrestling Federation.  During his tenure at the WWF, Jonathan produced and directed various television segments and promotional commercials for ESPN, USA Network, and the WWF Syndicated Network.

Jonathan currently serves on the Advisory Board for the GI Film Festival, formed to honor films that celebrate the successes and sacrifices of the American military, along with Dr. Ted Baehr, actors Gary Sinise, Ernest Borgnine and Chuck Norris, producer, actor and technical advisor Captain Dale Dye, and directors Ron Maxwell, John Milius and John Dahl, among others. 

A veteran of the U.S. Army’s 82d Airborne Division, Jonathan received his B.S.A. from Ohio University in Television Performance and Production and his M.S.A. in Marketing. 

Jonathan and his wife Deborah have two children, Olivia and Benjamin.
 

DEBORAH FLORA
Actress, Producer

Most recently, Deborah Flora helped develop and starred in A Distant Thunder.  Prior to forming Lamplight Entertainment with her husband, Deborah held the position of Head of Development for Open Road Productions.  She produced and co-wrote the independent feature Simple Gifts, which debuted at the New York Film Festival.

Deborah was also a Development Executive with Mark Carliner Productions, Inc., where she helped develop several projects including the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning production of Wallace, and served as Stephen King’s Development Assistant on the ABC miniseries The Shining. 

As an actress, Deborah has had numerous roles in film and television.  Her extensive theatre background includes a Best Performance Award with the National American Shakespeare Company and plays that have received multiple Critics’ Choice awards.  Deborah is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 

Deborah and Jonathan Flora speak regularly at major events across the nation, including the Family Research Council-sponsored Voters’ Values Summit held in Washington DC, where they appeared along with 2007 Presidential candidates, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Bill Bennett, Dr. James Dobson, Tony Perkins and several high-profile political leaders.  A major focal point they emphasize is encouraging people not to abandon the culture, specifically the powerful medium of film.  Deborah also speaks extensively to women’s group, youth groups, churches and conservative organizations. 

Deborah studied with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Actors’ Conservatory and at the prestigious League Theatre Program at SMU, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was Valedictorian of the Meadows School of the Arts.  As a President’s Scholar, Deborah received a full scholarship to complete her B.F.A. at the Mozarteum Conservatory in Salzburg, Austria, where she studied opera and flute as well as acting.  In addition, she attended Denver Seminary, starting her M.A. in Philosophy of Religion. 

As Miss Colorado and Second Runner-Up to Miss America, Deborah performed around the United States, Eastern and Western Europe and Africa, as the spokesperson for Youth for Christ International. 

Deborah, her husband Jonathan and their two children attend Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.

Click on "A Distant Thunder" photo above to view the trailer.

“A Distant Thunder' is a powerful thriller and a gripping legal drama.  It's engrossing, terrifying, and convincing.  It will move you; it will change you!"  - Chris Weinkopf, Los Angeles Daily News

“I’d call ‘A Distant Thunder’ a nightmare of a movie but, nightmares are not normally representative of reality. This nightmare is happening every minute of every day... The extra bonus here is that these filmmakers know how to shoot!” - Steve McEveety, Producer The Passion Of The Christ, Braveheart, We Were Soldiers

"A haunting master piece that gets into your heart and stays there.  Filled with visually stunning images and an emotional story, 'A Distant Thunder' is simply one of the most powerful and thought-provoking movies in years!" – Jill Stanek, WorldNetDaily 

“Chilling and provocative, with a great twist at the end!  Packs a powerful emotional punch!  Creepy and surprising!” – Ted Baehr, Movieguide

“A genuine haunting masterpiece.  Intelligently written and acted...  A ‘must see’ for every thinking American! - Mike Westfall, The American Worker

 “If Hitchcock would have made a film on partial-birth abortion, this would be it!” - Steve Ramsey - Gospel Communications International

“Seeks to do to unrestricted abortion what ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ did to slavery!” – Cheryl Rhoads, National Review Online

“Without a doubt, this film will become one of the most powerful tools to make people think and wrestle with the abortion issue!” –  Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life

"This is a must see! The beauty of this masterful production is that it impacts the viewer both mentally and emotionally.  It makes you think with tears." - Hubert Harriman, President - WGM

“A Distant Thunder’ is not only thought-provoking, it reaches inside your spirit and wraps around your heart!” – Kevin Fobbs, WDTK-Radio, Detroit

“A Distant Thunder’ has immaculate production value… Flora’s direction is very good, with atmosphere and engrossing nuance.” - FilmThreat.com

"Intriguing, provocative and creepy!" - Patrick Lussier – Editor: Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Red-Eye – Director: Dracula 2000

"A Distant Thunder is an intense presentation that makes one search their inner-being.  A thought provoking piece that is sure to make an impact with its creativity, stellar performers, and intellectual challenges. The accompanying comments of the film-makers bring it all together!" - Jim Tressel, Head Football Coach, Ohio State University

“With ‘A Distant Thunder’, Jonathan Flora has created a dramatic, emotional short film with a clear message -- partial birth abortion is taking a life, plain and simple.  Using a Twilight-Zone twist, his film deals with one life cut short by this brutal and most controversial method of abortion.  We should all remember one line from the film: ‘Whether we live 90 years or 90 seconds, there's a part of us that goes on forever.’  This timely film is a call to action to defend the lives of soon-to-be-born children who are inhumanely denied their right to life.” - Jeb Bush, Former Governor of Florida

"As a strong pro-life member of Congress, I have worked to advocate many initiatives to protect innocent unborn babies.  After viewing "A Distant Thunder," I believe it offers a unique and inspirational perspective that could help change minds and hearts.  I would encourage everyone -- regardless of their position on abortion -- to watch this film." - Congressman Steve Chabot (R-OH)

"A Distant Thunder’ is a thought-provoking, and, at times, startling look at partial-birth abortion. It goes beyond legal jargon to the harsh realities of the procedure, forcing the viewer to personally confront abortion's long-lasting physical and emotional scars." -Zoe Sandvig, WORLD Magazine

"If 'A Distant Thunder' doesn't open your eyes to some vital issues facing our Nation today, I don't know what will.  Take a look at it!" - Bobby Bowden, Head Football Coach Florida State University

"This is an absorbing and relevant drama.  It's one of those rare shockers that leaves you wondering where you really stand on an important social issue." - Capt. Dale Dye USMC (Ret) - Actor/Director/Military film consultant - Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, Band Of Brothers

"Deborah Flora's performance is hypnotic and real, demonstrating a frailty and tenderness that is the emotional center of the film." – Jill Stanek, WorldNetDaily 

“Benjamin Flora may be the youngest person to ever earn a starring credit in a film!” – The Pilot, Boston

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Read More Rave Reviews from
Respectable Sources Below

From Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life - Click Here

From the LA Daily News - Click Here

From the National Review On Line - Click Here

From World Net Daily - Click Here

From The Pilot - Click Here