Now making the festival rounds, we had a discussion with Christian Loubek, the director of the drama short film “Belief.” It’s a very good movie about family, and personal sacrifice, and he discussed his background and how reality inspired his creation of the short film. Be sure to look out for “Belief” if you see it in the festival circuit.
Thanks for your time!
Thank you!
For our readers, please introduce yourself.
My name is Christian Loubek. I’ve been a director in the commercial space for over 25 years. Belief is the first film I’ve written & directed for purely personal reasons which might make me the most experienced ‘first-time’ film director in history.
What inspired you to create “Belief”?
Belief was born of an unfortunate event. When actress Erika Hamilton was pregnant with our first child, she was fired by her Hollywood manager. It broke our hearts at a time when we couldn’t have been happier. But like most great art, unfortunate circumstance provided fertile ground for filmmaking and that moment seeded this story with a deep intention to tribute Motherhood.
How long did it take to film “Belief”?
While production didn’t take long, a matter of weeks, to organize, film and finish. From conception to completion, the film spanned almost 10 years to make. The joyful irony is that in those 10 years, our children grew old enough to play the central roles alongside Erika Hamilton. These, being the same kids who at one-time ‘cost’ Erika her management representation.
Do you think it’s harder today to be a parent than it was, say, fifty years ago?
Interesting question and I’m not sure I know the answer. What I will say, is that I think parents have a far greater understanding of their children today in more nuanced and less binary ways. Parents have never had more information and advice within their grasp.
But I also feel that the core challenges to parenting remain constant. Being a parent is all about knowing when to intercede vs when to trust. About faith in the face of doubt. I’d hope Belief shines some new light on the oft-overlooked, everyday struggle a mother shoulders.
What can viewers take away from “Belief”?
I hope to honor the transcendent power of a mother’s love. There is no more potent and transformative power on the planet. Erika’s superb performance conveys all you need to know about struggles, doubts and triumphs a mother carries, in her case, a Black mother.
Who or what inspired your love for the art of filmmaking?
Photojournalism. I recall a specific trip to San Francisco in the 80s, I had just begun using a manual SLR camera and shadowed my journalist uncle around the city taking pictures. At the end of the trip we compared our respective images. We both stood in the exact same places, photographing the same subjects but I was forever moved by the distinct stories his images told.
Are You Working in any other genres or have aspirations to?
Curiously BELIEF is a departure. My general body of work in the commercial space strives to be clever or comedic in some way. But we didn’t hide behind that here. Belief was made straight from the heart and it’s a vulnerable place to be this earnest. Moving forward, I hope to find a new marriage of emotional resonance and humor.
What would you like your legacy to be in the film medium (or elsewhere)?
I’m a bit scared to consider any legacy prematurely but a peer once said of my work ‘you have a distinct way of finding the joy in every single situation’. I was extremely flattered by that comment. Can that be my legacy?
Who are some of the directors or writers that you look up to and who do you want to bring attention to in your field or others?
I am interested in films that resonate emotionally but personally prefer to walk in the door with a touch of humor. So filmmakers like Ruben Ostlund, Yorgos Lanthimos, Lucas Moodysson are the high-water mark for me. In terms of bringing attention, I’ve been stunned by the emotional maturity of debut directors of Celine Song (Past Lives), Lee Isaac Chung (Minari, Twisters) and for shared subject matter, Savanah Leaf’s (Earth Mama).
What are you currently working on that you can tell us about?
The Customer! A feature film, inspired by true events, about a young, Gen Z woman who after one spectacularly bad week walks into a KFC and stays for an entire week straight comfort-eating her way through her crisis.
What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers or creators?
Don’t ask for permission, ask (kindly) for forgiveness later. It’s been my helpful for me.