A feature film with a score composed by a Mizzou alumnus will open this month in movie theaters across the country.

Pray: the Story of Patrick Peyton, directed by Jonathan Cipiti and scored by Grant Fonda, is set to hit theaters nationwide on Friday, October 9.

The documentary tells the story of Patrick Peyton, an Irish immigrant who in 1928 came to the US in hopes of becoming a millionaire, and instead ended up joining the priesthood, championing the idea that “the family who prays together stays together.”

Fonda (pictured), who earned his master’s degree in music from Mizzou in 2012, subsequently graduated from USC’s Screen Scoring program and the ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop. He has worked on a wide array of projects, including writing the music for Pray… director Cipiti’s 2018 film The Dating Project and the award-winning Down The Fence (2017), and commercial jingles heard internationally for Suprizamal plush toys. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the closing of movie theaters in many places, Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton will debut on more than 50 screens in 23 states. In Missouri, the film will open at two theaters, the B&B Liberty 12 in Liberty, and the Marcus St. Charles 18 in St. Charles. You can see the full list of theaters showing the film  here.

Fonda’s music also is used in the movie’s trailer, which can be seen here. A recording of the original score, featuring performances from musicians who have been heard on the soundtracks of films and TV shows such as Braveheart, Titanic, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones, will be released on major digital music services including iTunes and Spotify on Friday, October 16.