Films
What We Behold, We Become
"The cinematographic project, Encounter With The Invisible, will be accomplished! Happy are they who will help to make it happen."
Fr. Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary
ENCOUNTER WITH THE INVISIBLE is a documentary film in the making. The film revolves around the revival of icon painting in Russia during the atheistic suppression of religious imagery. But its focus is on how this traditional art form found its way to the New World and how it is inspiring contemporary artists to appropriate the technique and ethos of the icon to establish the integrity of Christian art on this continent.
It is about the power of a hand made object to bring us mindfully into the presence of heavenly realities that assist us unseen. It is about an "encounter with the invisible."
Images have tremendous power to move whole nations, to form cultural identity - even destiny. The religious images produced by generations of Russian icon painters caused profound changes in the spiritual consciousness of the entire Russian people. One can only marvel at their great number and beauty. Tragically, many of the images that fill our movie screens and television airways are one-dimensional expressions of creaturely despair and raw vulgarity.
Imagine the dominant medium of cinematography used as a redemptive counterpoint to these self-serving [icons] of popular culture.
ENCOUNTER WITH THE INVISIBLE not only conveys the historic world importance of preserving and producing sacred imagery, but also champions the efforts of those who offer us an antidote for the cynicism and disconsolation which wearies us on every side.
OTHER HEXAEMERON FILM PROJECTS
HEXAEMERON is not a film making company, but it supports the efforts of Christian filmmakers and the education of our youth to make documentaries and films that will have an impact on the images presented in cinema and television, images that offer formative models to be emulated.
HEXAEMERON is developing a project called REEL STORIES to train young people in the art of the documentary film.
REEL STORIES is a filmmaking workshop for youth and young adults co-sponsored by St. Michael Orthodox Church, Louisville, KY, and HEXAEMERON Not-For-Profit Organization. The Workshop offers six days of intensive training in documentary film production using "state of the art" high-definition digital technology. In a professional studio setting, REEL STORIES takes participants through the stages of concept development, storyboarding, script formation, filming & editing.
Open to six participants per session REEL STORIES will:
- Form a temporary production team with each member taking on a specific role that mirrors a professional filmmaking company: producer, director, scriptwriter, audio & video technicians, and editor.
- Select an individual, a family entity, or ethnic group around which to build an audio/visual portrait that reflects the dynamic nature of the Christian community in 21st century.
- Create a 14-minute professional quality documentary suitable for televising.
If you are interested in taking a REEL STORIES Workshop, please fill out the form on our contact us page. Workshops will be forming in spring of 2006. Tuition is $700. Professional filmmakers at Kentucky Digital Media in Louisville, KY teach classes.