Casting and convincing collaborators

I speak with filmmaker Yelena Popovic, who viewers may recognize as the director of the stunning film of the life of St. Nektarios of Aegina, Man of God (2021). In this interview we discuss her upcoming film, Moses the Black, releasing January 30th of this year. We talk about film making, her inspiration for the film, the people involved, the life story of St. Moses the Black, and repentance in general in the Orthodox faith.

YouTube version: https://youtu.be/rzDVfbhaaGU

Film synopsis: Released from prison, a feared Chicago gang leader returns home to avenge the murder of his closest friend. As rival gangs and a corrupt cop close in, he must confront a past that refuses to let go.
Release date: 30 January 2026 (USA)
Director: Yelena Popovic
Producers: Yelena Popovic, Alexandros Potter, Jelena Popović, Brett Hays
Executive producers: Omar Epps, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa et al.
Production companies: G-Unit Films and Television Inc., Simeon Entertainment, LLC, BrooklynWorks Films
Running time: 1h 50m

Theatres Showtimes Ticket Link: https://hubs.la/Q03Znnjy0

Stay up to date about the film:
Trailer: https://youtu.be/iZzpiu8L21Y?si=ZxXRxWuiL_yosuEY 
Website: https://simeonfaith.com/films/moses-the-black-2024 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mosestheblackmovie 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mosestheblackmovie/ 
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32542065/ 

Timestamps:
00:00 - Coming up
01:14 - Intro music
01:39 - Start
02:32 - Introducing St. Moses the Black
08:50 - St. Moses' death
13:32 - The movie vs the hagiography
31:29 - A harsh redemption
35:13 - Sorry is not enough
37:36 - See the whole story
42:32 - Stories of St. Moses
44:24 - Fr. Turbo
49:45 - How can we watch this?
51:43 - Other projects

====================
NEW COURSE: The Art of Imitating Heaven: Structure and Meaning in Ancient Cosmology By Joshua Sturgill
What is heaven? Where is it? For ancient people, the answer was obvious: simply look up at the night sky. For them, to see the stars and planets was to see the face of the divine. Christianity, too, understood the visible sky as the realm of unfallen creation. What does this belief mean, and why was it lost?
🗓 Live classes are on Sundays at 5-6:30pm Eastern Time, starting February 1st through March 8th, 2026.
💰 Price: $150 USD
⏰🐥 DON'T MISS OUT! UNTIL FEBRUARY 1ST YOU CAN GET THE EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OF 15% OFF! Discount automatically applied at checkout.
Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-art-of-imitating-heaven
====================

💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com
🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 
🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 
Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ 
My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/