A FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
COMING IN 2025

Contemporary Christian Music sold faith as a business —

Now, the artists it cast aside are taking back their stories

“I never got a chance to come back in christian music and tell the real story of what happened.”
-NIKKI LEONTI

At the turn of the millennium, Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) was the fastest-growing genre in the industry. Marketed as a wholesome alternative to mainstream pop, it offered the same sound with lyrics that were SAFE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. But the industry demanded more than music. Artists were expected to live as evangelical role models: no drinking, no swearing, no sex before marriage—and being gay was considered a moral failing. Those who didn’t measure up were pushed aside and silenced. This intimate, unfiltered documentary follows the artists who were forced out and are now telling their stories for the first time, exposing what happens when faith becomes a business.

ABOUT


“I think the marriage of art, commerce, and religion is a doomed marriage. I've never seen anybody really get out in one piece.”
-DEREK WEBB

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Christian pop didn’t just promote evangelical values, it sold them. Behind the music was a powerful system combining faith, money, and image control, pushing a narrow idea of who was worthy of success and acceptance. SAFE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY gives voice to the artists that system left behind, at a time when those same forces are rising again. Their stories are a warning, showing how quickly belief can become control, and how easily culture is used to erase the people who don’t fit.

WHY NOW

meet the filmmakers

  • Jason ikeler

    DIRECTOR & PRODUCER

    Jason Ikeler is a New York–based director and producer, and currently serves as Vice President of Video for Hearst Magazines, where he leads original content strategy and production. He has directed short films such as Harper’s Bazaar’s Maren Morris: Girl World Tour and created viral series including Phoning It In for ELLE and Cheap Shots for Cosmopolitan. As a producer, his credits include HGTV’s Flip or Flop and House Hunters Renovation. Safe for the Whole Family marks his feature directorial debut.

  • WHITNEY FERN

    PRODUCER

    A Los Angeles-based producer, writer, and host. She spent six years at Paramount Pictures’ Awards Department before launching Whitney Lane Events, where she produced award campaigns for films like Parasite, The Big Short, Selma, and I, Tonya. She is launching the podcast It Takes Gumption in 2025. Safe for the Whole Family is her first feature documentary.

  • JUDE HOPE HARRIS

    EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

    A filmmaker and development executive based in Los Angeles. She has held executive roles at MTV, Gunpowder & Sky, and Hearst Magazines. Her documentary credits include Half the Picture, 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez, Kid Candidate, and Bad Axe, which was shortlisted for an Oscar. She is currently in production on a biopic about trans actress and activist Alexandra Billings.

  • GIGI PEÑA

    EDITOR & PRODUCER

    An editor and visual storyteller based in New Jersey. She has cut television series, documentary shorts, branded content, and social campaigns for clients including Hulu, Time Inc., Harper’s Bazaar, and the CW’s Ready Set Pet. Her work focuses on stories rooted in identity, culture, and social justice. Safe for the Whole Family is her feature film debut.

  • NORLO CAREY

    EDITOR

    A Los Angeles-based editor and graphics artist. Her work spans trailers, music videos, and branded content for clients including Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Hulu, Meta, Nike, and Adidas. She has created visuals for artists like Janelle Monáe and Tyler, the Creator, and contributed to a wide range of original content across television and digital platforms. Safe for the Whole Family is her feature film debut.

  • ANDREW CLANCY

    DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

    A director, cinematographer, and editor based in New York. He has created documentary and branded content for clients including Microsoft, Major League Baseball, Ogilvy, and PBS. He shot and edited the viral Cosmopolitan short A Year in New York and the Stephanie Giorgi story on surviving sexual assault.

IN THE PRESS

  • CHRISTIANITY TODAY

    "Safe for the Whole Family examines the problems and fallout that come when Christians prop up individuals as standard-bearers and models of goodness and godliness." - Kelsey Kramer McGinnisREAD

  • THE BLACKSHEEP PODCAST

    Director Jason Ikeler joins the Black Sheep podcast for a candid conversation about the rise and fall of Christian pop, the pressure to perform perfection, and what the industry doesn’t want you to remember.LISTEN

  • A TINY REVOLUTION - IRREVERENT MEDIA GROUP

    A TINY REVOLUTION PODCAST

    Director Jason Ikeler joins host Kevin Garcia on A Tiny Revolution to talk about growing up queer in evangelical culture, the complicated legacy of Christian music, and the journey to making Safe for the Whole Family. LISTEN

  • THE MICHELLE COLLINS SHOW

    Director Jason Ikeler joins comedian and host Michelle Collins to talk about the making of Safe for the Whole Family, growing up on Christian pop, and what it means to tell these stories now. LISTEN