DVD review: BYUtv's beautiful, touching new 'Silent Night' DVD is a true Christmas gift

"SILENT NIGHT," by Christian Vuissa, produced by BYU Broadcasting and Covenant Communications, $17.99, 95 minutes

If one of the measures of great art is determined by the level of faith the creator places in the power of what inspired the creation, then the new BYUtv film production of "Silent Night" by Mormon filmmaker Christian Vuissa certainly qualifies as great art.

Vuissa beautifully captures the true story of how the most beloved of all Christmas carols came to be. Filmed on location in Austria, "Silent Night" portrays the experiences leading up to Joseph Mohr’s composition of the famous carol in spite of the many challenges he faced as a humble country priest.

The casting is pitch-perfect, the cinematography makes a comparably low-budget production look like it came straight out of Hollywood, and the setting itself (Austria!) all lead to true Yuletide alchemy. Of the many seasonal viewing options available at Christmastime, "Silent Night" is likely to become a perennial favorite.

Vuissa continues to produce exceptional spiritually themed movies. His recent films have included "The Letter," "One Good Man" and "The Errand of Angels," to name only a few. Not only did he direct "Silent Night," but he is also listed as the writer and producer of the film as well. Clearly he’s a maker with many gifts, for which we’re all the richer.

"Silent Night" is available locally in Utah at most bookstores and other locations where DVDs can be purchased. BYUtv also continues to air the program, which can be streamed online at BYUtv.org.

It's a wonderful reminder of where the true spirit of Christmas comes from.

Scott Livingston blogs about the uphill climb of becoming a writer at sleye1stories.com. He blogs otherwise at sleye1.blogspot.com and is also found at facebook.com/sleye1stories.