Bishop gives 'Joseph' film a thumbs-up

By Tanya Connor
 The Catholic Free Press

“That’s amazing!”
“Unbelievable!”
Bishop McManus had just finished watching a private showing of  “Joseph,” a 13-minute film about Jesus’ foster father, created and directed by Alexander Diaz of St. Joseph Parish in Charlton.
“It really is powerful!” the bishop marveled. “That was a high point in my day. ...  It’s like being on a 13-minute retreat.”
“Today is all about thanking you,” Mr. Diaz told the bishop in the Chancery library Oct. 8.
“Our goal is a full-length movie,” he said.
Bishop McManus is familiar with Mr. Diaz’ work. The film jumps off, but is somewhat different from, Mr. Diaz’ play “Joseph’s Dream: A Vision of Choice,” which was first performed at St. Joseph’s in 2015. Bishop McManus saw it the next year at The Hanover Theatre in Worcester.     While discerning what to do with the play, Mr. Diaz had sought the prayers and blessing of Bishop McManus.
Mr. Diaz had plans to bring the play to as many places as possible. But that didn’t materialize. Instead, the film was born.
The film imagines what Joseph learned about the role he would play in Jesus’ life when an angel told him in a dream not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife after he found out that Mary was with child (Mt 1:18-25). Joseph did as the angel commanded and became Jesus’ foster father.
“Where did you film all of this?” Bishop McManus asked after the film ended.
Mr. Diaz, moved to tears, couldn’t speak, so Abigail Charland, the producer, who came with him, started answering: Old Sturbridge Village, Mr. Diaz’ barn, the former Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Southbridge and sand dunes in Rhode Island. With them was another film crew member Kyle Sullivan, also from St. Joseph’s in Charlton, who serves as sound designer and audio-mastering engineer.
“In a 90-minute film … (people will) learn more about the person of Christ than in years of catechesis. … That’s evangelization,” the bishop said.
“Today I’m going to play a prophet. When that movie ends, you’ll hear a pin drop in the theater,” he added.
“This is better than what I was expecting,” Mr. Diaz said, after the bishop left the room.
The crew members talked about helping Mr. Diaz achieve his dream.
“Anyone would say we did it because we believe in Alex,” Ms. Charland said, adding that she’d never done something like this. She graduated from Fitchburg State University in August 2018 with a major in communications and a concentration in film.
She said she’d just gotten into the program in 2016 when she learned that Mr. Diaz was seeking interns. She went to see him and he said, “You’re hired,” though really she’s a volunteer. Her paying job is freelancing as a locations production assistant, she said. She’s worked for Netflix and 20th Century Fox, among others.
Worcester-based 256 Films did the filming and Votary Films the editing for “Joseph,” Mr. Diaz said.
Mr. Sullivan said Ms. Charland’s work as producer enables Mr. Diaz to stay focused on the story and check theological matters with the bishop; Father Robert A. Grattaroti, their pastor, and Capuchin Father Simeon Gallagher, who has given missions at their parish.
Ms. Charland told The Catholic Free Press she’s not affiliated with any religious group and therefore can help ensure that “Joseph” appeals to a broader audience, even those who aren’t religious.
“I like to say that I’m agnostic,” she said.
But, she said, some things have happened during the making of the film that have raised questions for her about the existence of a higher power.
Mr. Diaz told of a day they were to do filming, when rain was predicted. Instead, the moon shown.
“It rained around us,” added Ms. Charland. She said it was surreal and she wondered “if there was something  rooting for us and wanting to make this film happen.”
What they are doing to make the full-length film happen is submitting it to film festivals – about 90 of them being held around the world next year – Ms. Charland said.
She said thousands of films are submitted to festivals, where producers, investors and others watch films and decide which filmmakers they want to talk with.
“I know someone is out there waiting for this,” Mr. Diaz said.
“Joseph” got a glowing online review from the Utah Film Festival, which Ms. Charland said they haven’t gone to yet. She said their first festival showing is Nov. 14 at the Toronto Shorts International Film Festival in Canada.
Mr. Diaz maintains, “I don’t care about Hollywood; I have a message – to convert as many people as possible to believe in Jesus.” And to show that God uses ordinary people to get his message across.
“I saw everything: what will be in the film, who will be in the film” – faces, not names, the whole 90 minutes – Mr. Diaz said. “I’m on a journey following my dream.”
After his plan of taking the play everywhere didn’t happen, he got depressed.
“I went to bed,” he said. “As I fell asleep … this shadow opened the door.” He said he didn’t know who the shadow was, but the shadow had a sound track and told him this was reality, not a dream, that he needed to listen and that his mission was to make the film like this vision.
Mr. Diaz said he awoke soaked with sweat, crying happy tears, and wrote down what he’d dreamed. And that’s the story of the film.

Editor’s Note: A trailer of “Joseph” will be launched Nov. 2, according to Mr. Diaz. He said this teaser, with excerpts from the short film and an explanation, is to be on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and accessible from the website https://joseph.film.