On Creating the Documentary Jubileo with Chris Curia

I (Andrew) had the opportunity to work with Chris and his team during my time at Calvin University. It was amazing to watch them learn and create the Jubileo documentary. I’m excited to announce that it will be going live later today! We virtually sat down with Chris to ask him a few questions abut the production.

What inspired you to start this project?

The project really started as a reason for me to return to Tekax, the primary setting of the film. I had just been there on a study abroad trip and wanted to go back because I fell in love with the people and their way of life. On my journey home, I remembered that I would be doing a summer church internship through a fellowship program at my college and wondered if doing it in Tekax would be at all possible. Our program restricted internships to only the United States; however, I also remembered a conversation that the program coordinator and I had prior to my abroad trip about integrating video work into my summer internship that could later be used to promote the fellowship. Thus, the idea for the film was born, first as mere promotional material for the fellowship, and then so much more. 

What does Jubileo stand for?

Jubileo comes from the word Jubilee, not jubilant or jubilation.  Jubilee, or the Year of Jubilee, is an ancient Jewish observance marked by the end of seven seven-year cycles of rest—a really, really long time. On this year, all slaves would be freed, all debts would be forgiven, and the mercies of the true God would be made manifest. We really liked the sound of that.

To me, the name means freedom and imperfection. It reminds me of the people I grew to so dearly love, despite our differences. They were the ones who really freed me.

Why are you the right person to do this project? Why now?

Honestly, as our team was still deciding when to release this project, we were worried that the shelf life of the story wouldn’t last very long. As you will find in the film, it’s very rooted in specific events happening around [2016]. But I have found that the film is actually more powerful now, especially as we’re entering into a similar news cycle as the year the events took place. We didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into then. We do now. The question the film poses at the end is simple: Knowing what we know now, how do we move forward?

How did this project challenge you?

Jubileo is the most ambitious project I’ve ever undertaken. No current Calvin film students had ever done what we did, at least to such a magnitude. It’s a bilingual film, so [we had to deal] with a language barrier for those working on it and those watching it.

But the hardest parts about the film were the personal implications of reliving that summer over and over again. I’m one of the principal characters of the film, so reviewing the footage was always a very meta experience. What would me then think of me now? What didn’t I understand at the time that I understand now, given the luxury of being able to replay moments I would have been translating in real time? We only finished the film a little less than a month ago; this many years removed from the experience, I barely recognize the person I’m seeing on screen.

What is the top thing you've learned from this project?

I think to be daringly creative is to finish what we started knowing that everything won’t turn out exactly like we intended.

Finishing projects is really important. While we creatives have no shortage of ideas and inspiration, we often lack the stamina to finish what we begin before moving on to the next alluring idea. But we have to finish. What we make will never be as perfect as what we imagine. But when our art is ready to be shared with the world, it doesn’t belong to us anymore. It longs to be shared with the world, even in all its imperfection.

What advice would you give to creatives?

Create something that challenges you, whether that challenge is emotional, spiritual, technical, or some muddy mess of the three. Be kind to yourself when your creative process stalls or grows cumbersome. Don’t hold it so preciously, and when (not if) you finish it, take time to celebrate your achievement, determination, and newfound freedom. Then lay low and live in the world for a bit before you seek out your next challenge. But don’t wait too long; this world needs more of your creative spark.

Now what?

Releasing the film feels like letting go. The story is no longer mine, which terrifies me and yet feels so freeing. I can only hope that all the work that’s gone into this film will help bring a little more love and kindness, a little more light and truth into the world. With this hope, I will feel relieved our efforts have not been in vain.

Check out these other posts