ANGELINA JOLIE: ‘Unbroken’ man’s faith story also told in film from Billy Graham group

Angelina Jolie tells much of Louis Zamperini’s extraordinary life in the new film “Unbroken,” but the rest of his story is being told in a short film released from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Mr. Zamperini, who died in July at age 97, made a 30-minute documentary with the famous association to explain how his post-war conversion to Jesus Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade gave him a truly victorious life.

Directed by Ms. Jolie and scheduled for release on Christmas Day, the movie was an amazing adaptation of a best-selling book about Mr. Zamperini written by Laura Hillenbrand, Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son, told Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom” Wednesday morning.

But Ms. Jolie’s movie covered just 33 out of 39 of the book’s chapters — and only mentioned in passing Mr. Zamperini’s pivotal 1949 conversion to Jesus Christ, Mr. Graham said.

Those final chapters are actually the most important part of the book, Mr. Graham said, since they explain how Mr. Zamperini really became “unbroken” — his post-war struggles with revenge, nightmares, alcoholism and a failing marriage were turned around after he gave his life to Jesus Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade revival led by the legendary evangelist.

Mr. Graham told Fox News that Mr. Zamperini was at first reluctant to take the elder Graham’s offer to put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ. But he did, and went home that night, got rid of his pornography, his alcohol and his cigarettes, and found the Bible given to him in the military.

“His life was transformed instantly that day, and it stayed with him the rest of his life. He never turned from what he had put his faith and trust in, and that was Jesus Christ,” Mr. Graham said on air.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is presenting that part of Mr. Zamperini’s story in a documentary called “Louis Zamperini: Captured by Grace.”

Mr. Zamperini gives his own testimony on the DVD, saying that when he “found Christ as my savior,” that was “the heart of my whole life.”

“Captured by Grace” can be viewed online starting Dec. 25, and will be available via DVD as an offer of appreciation with any contribution to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the organization said this week.