Ambush at St. Mary's

Christianity in America is in bad shape. Many of us who grew up in religious communities feel that personally, especially in this dark political era. And to me, there's no better context than the Western to wrestle with these kind of themes. It's the most American genre there is, with rich opportunity for fresh spins on the mythology and the archetypes. For this film, I wanted to create something like a Flannery O'Connor short story, something that could have grit and darkness while dealing directly with religion. To pair expected influences like Sergio Leone with the existential tones of Ingmar Bergman or Paul Schrader. A Western that could take the old macho tropes and evolve them into something more personal and delicate as the narrative evolves. In this story, two outlaws dress as priests to rob a desert chapel, but when Hannah, a parishioner, shows up, one of them is forced to act like a real priest for her. And ironically, a better one. These two people, wounded in similar ways, find each other and find a way forward. I'm really proud of what our small crew pulled off and I can't wait to share it with audiences.