The inspirational life story of surfer Bethany Hamilton—a Christian teen who had her left arm bitten off by a tiger shark—will be released in theaters April 15.

Based on Hamilton's Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board (MTV Books), which was sold in some Christian bookstores, the film, also called Soul Surfer, stars AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany; Dennis Quaid as her father, Tom; Helen Hunt as Bethany's mother, Cheri; and Carrie Underwood as church youth leader Sarah Hill.

Bethany, now 19, has become a top-performing pro surfer despite her October 2003 injuries. The movie was filmed on location in Hawaii, where she and her family live.

Soul Surfer is the first film to be released under a new deal between FilmDistrict and Sony Pictures, and will be distributed by TriStar Pictures. Soul Surfer is being marketed to the faith-based community by Affirm Films, the faith label of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

"This movie, with its winning story and cast, is a real audience-pleaser," said Bob Berney, president of theatrical distribution for FilmDistrict. "It's the perfect family film for the spring-break season."

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