Nonprofit · EIN 95-4217185
MESSENGER FILMS
Tax-exempt · TAMPA, FL 33606
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 31, 2025 | 990 | $71,591 | $158,626 | -$87,035 | $861,060 | $91,888 | $769,172 |
| August 31, 2024 | 990 | $78,054 | $146,054 | -$68,000 | $947,389 | $91,182 | $856,207 |
| August 31, 2023 | 990 | $182,457 | $124,158 | $58,299 | $1,070,256 | $146,049 | $924,207 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $60,135
- Program service revenue
- $11,456
- Investment income
- $0
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $0
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Travel
- $9,980
- Depreciation
- $87,077
- Program services (functional)
- $141,029
- Management and general (functional)
- $13,488
- Fundraising (functional)
- $4,109
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $947,389
- Total assets, end of year
- $861,060
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $91,888
- Net assets, end of year
- $769,172
- Gross receipts
- $71,591
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Year formed
- 1988
- State of legal domicile
- CA
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHERYL KRUSEN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5 | $3,500 |
| CRISTOBAL KRUSEN | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $0 |
| DAVID KITHCART | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
| CHRIS BUENO | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
| MAGGIE RIFFLER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
990 for the year ended August 31, 2024: 5 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRISTOBAL KRUSEN | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $6,722 |
| CHERYL KRUSEN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5 | $6,000 |
| DAVID KITHCART | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
| CHRIS BUENO | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
| MAGGIE RIFFLER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
990 for the year ended August 31, 2023: 7 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHERYL KRUSEN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5 | $6,000 |
| CRISTOBAL KRUSEN | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $0 |
| JEFF DIERCKS | SECRETARY/TREASURER/DIRECT Trustee or director, Officer | 1.5 | $0 |
| DAVID KITHCART | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
| CHRIS BUENO | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
| ANDY ECKERT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
| MAGGIE RIFFLER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1414 W SWANN AVE STE 100, TAMPA, FL 33606-2590
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- CRISTOBAL KRUSEN, 1414 W SWANN AVENUE 100, TAMPA, FL 33606
- Signed the 990
- CRISTOBAL KRUSEN, PRESIDENT
- Phone
- (813) 435-1977
- Website
- HTTPS://MESSENGERFILMS.COM/
- Return prepared by
- DFG MANAGEMENT INC
Mission
PRODUCTION OF CHRISTIAN-THEMED FILMS THAT PRESENT THE GOSPEL TO PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
Program accomplishments
- "FILMS OF BEAUTY, STORIES OF HOPE" IS THE MOTTO OF MESSENGER FILMS. FOUNDED IN 1988 BY CRISTOBAL KRUSEN (A GRADUATE OF THE NYU FILM SCHOOL), MESSENGER FILMS BEGAN WITH PRODUCTIONS MADE FOR THE SPANISH-SPEAKING WORLD. IN THE EARLY 2000S, MESSENGER BRANCHED INTO A TRULY GLOBAL MINISTRY WITH FEATURE FILMS PRODUCED IN AFRICA, ASIA, NORTH AMERICA, AND EUROPE. NOTEWORTHY EXAMPLES INCLUDE THE AWARD-WINNING LET ME HAVE MY SON (PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO AND DUBBED IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES), AS WELL AS FINAL SOLUTION (PRODUCED IN SOUTH AFRICA) AND SABINA K. (PRODUCED IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA).SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTION OVER THE PAST NEARLY FORTY YEARS, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT MORE THAN ONE BILLION PEOPLE HAVE SEEN A MESSENGER FILMS PRODUCTION - MOSTLY THROUGH TELEVISION BROADCASTS AND DIGITAL STREAMING PLATFORMS, BUT ALSO VIA THEATRICAL DISTRIBUTION AND COMMUNITY-BASED SHOWINGS AND CHURCH SHOWINGS. CURRENT PLANS AT MESSENGER CALL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF NEW FILMS APPEALING ESPECIALLY TO "SPIRITUAL SEEKERS". OUR LATEST RELEASE IS LET ME HAVE MY SON, WHICH WAS FILMED IN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, AND IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME AND OTHER STREAMING PLATFORMS. LET ME HAVE MY SON IS INSPIRED BY THE TRUE STORY OF A FATHER'S DESPERATE SEARCH FOR HIS MENTALLY ILL SON AND THE STRUGGLE TO RECONCILE THE TRAGEDIES OF LIFE WITH A LOVING GOD. MESSENGER FILMS EXISTS THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF DONORS AND FRIENDS AS WELL AS DISTRIBUTION INCOME DERIVED FROM ROYALTIES AND LICENSING FEES.Expenses $141,029
- MESSENGER FILMS CONTINUES TO DISTRIBUTE NARRATIVE FEATURE FILMS FROM PRIOR YEARS SUCH AS SABINA K., FINAL SOLUTION, ROPA NUEVA PARA FELIPE, AND CON QUIEN TE VAS? ALL OF THESE FILMS PRESENT BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED STORIES SHOWING GOD'S UNFAILING LOVE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND CULTURES.revenue $11,456
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in August, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | August 31, 2026 | January 15, 2027 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | August 31, 2025 | January 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | August 31, 2024 | January 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 95-4217185
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1993
- Accounting year ends
- August
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A31Z)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $861,060
- Income (IRS master file)
- $71,591
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | August 2025 | $71,591 | $158,626 | $861,060 | IRS |
| 990 | August 2024 | $78,054 | $146,054 | $947,389 | XML |
| 990 | August 2023 | $182,457 | $124,158 | $1,070,256 | XML |
| 990 | August 2022 | $239,436 | $85,328 | $1,063,671 | IRS |
| 990 | August 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 95-4217185).
Questions about MESSENGER FILMS
- What is the EIN of MESSENGER FILMS?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of MESSENGER FILMS is 95-4217185.
- Is MESSENGER FILMS tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1993.
- Are donations to MESSENGER FILMS tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does MESSENGER FILMS file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of MESSENGER FILMS due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending August 31, 2026) is due January 15, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did MESSENGER FILMS last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended August 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of MESSENGER FILMS?
- The 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025 names CRISTOBAL KRUSEN.
- Who are the officers and directors of MESSENGER FILMS?
- The 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025 lists 5 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $3,500 (CHERYL KRUSEN, DIRECTOR).
- How much revenue does MESSENGER FILMS have?
- On its 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $71,591, expenses of $158,626 and total assets of $861,060 at year end.
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