'Leap of Faith' with Director Nicholas Ma | Actual Facts
10/31/24 • 27 min
Joining us is Nicholas Ma to discuss his documentary 'Leap of Faith' (2024), which follows twelve diverse Christian leaders from Grand Rapids, Michigan, as they gather for a series of retreats led by Michael Gulker, organizer of a project called the Colossian Forum. Over a year, these pastors—five women and seven men from various denominations and with differing beliefs and approaches—engage in deep conversations on divisive issues, exploring perspectives shaped by their faith and experiences. We witness moments of deep pain and frustration as their views clash, but we're also there for the discovery of surprising points of connection.
Nicholas collaborated on the film with longtime partner Morgan Neville; the duo also made the great Fred Rogers documentary, 'Won’t You Be My Neighbor?'. An award-winning director, writer, and producer, Nicholas's work includes the WNBA documentary 'Unfinished Business' and his feature debut 'Mabel,' which was awarded the Sloan Prize. A former DOC NYC fellow and Film Independent Fellow, he also previously worked on global economic policy on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Actual Facts is hosted by Eric Steuer
Send us a note: [email protected]
Theme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/
'Leap of Faith': https://leapoffaithmovie.com/
MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/
Joining us is Nicholas Ma to discuss his documentary 'Leap of Faith' (2024), which follows twelve diverse Christian leaders from Grand Rapids, Michigan, as they gather for a series of retreats led by Michael Gulker, organizer of a project called the Colossian Forum. Over a year, these pastors—five women and seven men from various denominations and with differing beliefs and approaches—engage in deep conversations on divisive issues, exploring perspectives shaped by their faith and experiences. We witness moments of deep pain and frustration as their views clash, but we're also there for the discovery of surprising points of connection.
Nicholas collaborated on the film with longtime partner Morgan Neville; the duo also made the great Fred Rogers documentary, 'Won’t You Be My Neighbor?'. An award-winning director, writer, and producer, Nicholas's work includes the WNBA documentary 'Unfinished Business' and his feature debut 'Mabel,' which was awarded the Sloan Prize. A former DOC NYC fellow and Film Independent Fellow, he also previously worked on global economic policy on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Actual Facts is hosted by Eric Steuer
Send us a note: [email protected]
Theme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/
'Leap of Faith': https://leapoffaithmovie.com/
MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/
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'Tell Them You Love Me' with Director Nick August-Perna | Actual Facts
We speak with Nick August-Perna about his documentary 'Tell Them You Love Me' (2023). The film explores the complex and controversial case of Anna Stubblefield, a former Rutgers ethics professor who was convicted in 2015 for the sexual assault of Derrick Johnson, a nonverbal Black man with cerebral palsy. Stubblefield, a white woman, met Johnson while working to improve his communication skills using Facilitated Communication, a controversial and often disputed method in which a facilitator helps guide a person with disabilities in typing or pointing to letters. Stubblefield claimed that, through this process, she and Johnson developed a deep emotional bond, which led to a consensual sexual relationship. However, Johnson's mother, Daisy, his brother, John, and ultimately the court argued that Derrick lacked the cognitive ability to consent, accusing Stubblefield of manipulating both his communication and his capacity for intimacy. Nick is an award-winning director, producer, and editor, known for co-directing 'The Oxy Kingpins' (2021) and 'The Swell Season' (2011), among other works.
Actual Facts is hosted by Eric Steuer
Send us a note: [email protected]
Theme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/
Nick August-Perna: https://www.nickaugustperna.com/
MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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'Leap of Faith' with Director Nicholas Ma | Actual Facts
Joining us is Nicholas Ma to discuss his documentary 'Leap of Faith' (2024), which follows twelve diverse Christian leaders from Grand Rapids, Michigan, as they gather for a series of retreats led by Michael Gulker, organizer of a project called the Colossian Forum. Over a year, these pastors—five women and seven men from various denominations and with differing beliefs and approaches—engage in deep conversations on divisive issues, exploring perspectives shaped by their faith and experiences. We witness moments of deep pain and frustration as their views clash, but we're also there for the discovery of surprising points of connection.
Nicholas collaborated on the film with longtime partner Morgan Neville; the duo also made the great Fred Rogers documentary, 'Won’t You Be My Neighbor?'. An award-winning director, writer, and producer, Nicholas's work includes the WNBA documentary 'Unfinished Business' and his feature debut 'Mabel,' which was awarded the Sloan Prize. A former DOC NYC fellow and Film Independent Fellow, he also previously worked on global economic policy on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Actual Facts is hosted by Eric Steuer
Send us a note: [email protected]
Theme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/
'Leap of Faith': https://leapoffaithmovie.com/
MovieMaker Magazine: https://www.moviemaker.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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