The 13th Day, the first major film on Fatima in 50 years, kicked off its official release on DVD on Dec. 1 with a lively teleconference.

“The film is a great gift from God,” said Fatima expert Father Andrew Apostoli of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, who is featured on the DVD’s supplemental hour-long bonus documentary. The DVD package also includes a fact-filled companion booklet, Fatima prayer card and a rosary.

Anthony Ryan of Ignatius Press, The 13th Day‘s North American distributor, called it “a great combination of entertainment, catechesis and evangelization all in one film.”

“We’ve gone all out to make this a powerful tool for evangelization,” he said, because the promises of Our Lady of Fatima can change the lives of many people worldwide. She gave “dire prophecies if we did not respond,” he said, but “there’s hope if we do respond.”

The accurate retelling of the Blessed Mother’s appearances to Lucia (later Sister Lucia) and her young cousins (Blesseds) Francisco and Jacinta from May 13 to Oct. 13, 1917, is “a relevant wake-up call for a culture torn about by so many evils today,” said Ryan. Because the message needs to reach as many people as possible, Ignatius is doing more to promote this film than they’ve done for any other they’ve licensed.

Father Apostoli pointed out Our Lady’s message “is something our people need to be called to and people of the world need to hear.”

“What comes across powerfully,” he said, “is Our Lady reminding us through the children to pray and sacrifice. Many souls are lost to God because there’s no one to pray and offer sacrifices for them. The basic message is Mary calling all of us to the co-redemptive mission we have through our baptism. Jesus has won for us the merits of salvation, but he wants all of us to join with him in the work of bringing the message of salvation to others.”

Father Apostoli also noted the film’s vision of hell makes an impact. “It’s an important part of the message,” he said, “a reminder to all of us.”

The theme of the children’s need to have courage comes out very powerfully, too. Seeing what they went through has got to affect people, he said. “I was a little child when the first movie came out. Fatima has made an impact on my whole life.”

Father Apostoli and Ignatius noted that the film also is relevant for relations between Catholics and Muslims. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said one of the most powerful ways to reach Muslims is through the message of Mary. Since they venerate Mary, she is the link. In fact, the film is booked for a festival in Iran in February.

Working on the film affected the lives of everyone connected with it, including directors Ian and Dominic Higgins and executive producer Natasha Howes. She had been a lapsed Catholic, but finds it “virtually impossible not to respond to the Marian call to faith.” She recounted amazing divine interventions and blessings during production she can only describe as divine assistance. Howes works daily toward a more in-depth faith.

“This is a message everybody really needs hear — Catholic, Protestant, non-Christians,” said Ignatius CEO Mark Brumley. “The Holy Father’s upcoming trip to Fatima (on May 13, 2010) and this film underscores this relevance. …This isn’t simply a movie: This is a message — the message of Our Lady, the message of transformation and the message of peace.”

Parishes, schools and organizations can have screenings with complete packages from Ignatius. (See Ignatius.com for more information.)

“The message is timeless,” concluded Father Apostoli. “The world is on the brink of catastrophe if we don’t work for peace,” he said, adding Mary’s promise: “‘In the end, my immaculate heart will triumph.’”