ORLANDO, FLORIDA (ANS) -- A new film about the life of Jesus has been produced by the same people who have turned the movie JESUS into the most-translated film of all time.

Artwork from the new movie Magdalena: Released from Shame.

With the U.S. release of the film Magdalena: Released from Shame, the JESUS Film Project has begun distributing a unique new view of Jesus' life through the eyes of Mary Magdalena. Instead of a new translation into a different language, this film uses a new perspective to tell the Jesus story -- a female point-of-view.

Magdalena: Released From Shame is the story of Mary of Magdala, also known as Mary Magdalene, and what she may have experienced walking with Jesus of Nazareth during His public ministry. Through her eyes, this film portrays how Jesus values women by focusing on historical accounts of His interactions with them.

"The Magdalena film is a wonderful way to share with women everywhere that they are loved and valued by God," said Jim Green, executive director of The JESUS Film Project.

"Magdalena has already been shown in other parts of the world where women encounter violence and humiliation simply because of their gender. After test screenings in the United States we discovered that the Magdalena film can also be a very effective way to reach women here who may have never before considered the relevance of having Jesus in their lives."

To help reinforce that message, The JESUS Film Project is offering additional resources that can be used by families, women’s study groups and churches to help enhance the experience of watching the film as well as to provide follow-up opportunities.

Produced by Campus Crusade for Christ, the original JESUS film debuted in U.S. theaters in 1979. It is now the most translated film in history and last year celebrated a major milestone with its 1,000th translation. The JESUS Film Project plans to continue translating the film into 500 new languages which include every language with more than 100,000 speakers.

The JESUS Film Project is a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, International, one of the world’s largest nonprofit, interdenominational organizations, founded by Bill and Vonette Bright in 1951.

Campus Crusade has more than 27,000 staff members and a ministry presence in 190 countries around the world. Campus Crusade is dedicated to showing people how to know and experience God’s love and plan for their lives. For more information, visit the Campus Crusade for Christ Web site at www.ccci.org.

For more information about Magdalena: Released from Shame visit www.MagdalenaToday.com  or call 800-432-1997.

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. Michael's involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- Michael Ireland Media Missionary (MIMM) -- of ACT International at: Artists in Christian Testimony (ACT) International. His weblog appears at: Michael Ireland Media Missionary.