A Profound Exploration of Faith and Identity: American Orthodox
An sacred icon mysteriously reaches the Californian coast, perhaps carried by a tempestuous sea. Around it, the small community that discovers it forges a pact of faith, building a legacy that has strengthened over time, becoming today a true bastion of the American Orthodox Church. It has happened at times throughout history, and at various latitudes, that the sea has stolen precious objects from ships, offering humanity an opportunity to coalesce and consolidate its spirituality. What transpired in California is undoubtedly one of the most exemplary and moving cases, due to a series of historical intersections and interwoven narratives that saw the Russian Orthodox tradition, linked to the symbolic figure of the martyr Peter the Aleut – an Aleut Indian converted to Orthodoxy by Russian missionaries and killed by the Spanish for refusing to convert to the dominant Catholicism – take root precisely on those shores.
This forms the thematic core of the documentary American Orthodox, written and directed by Robert John Hammond and adapted from his book American Orthodox: Finding the Ancient Faith in the Modern World. The director describes it as a "personal journey" in search of the profound roots of his own identity in a "fragmented and fast-moving world"—a world grappling with chaos, yet one where ancient lights can still burn brightly. As Hammond states, "I was drawn to the forgotten stories of saints, mystics, and seekers who walked this earth before us, not just as historical figures, but as deeply human souls whose struggles and transformations still speak to us today."
Herein lies the full essence of documentary filmmaking: not merely to reconstruct the historical foundations of a people or a place, but to strive to seek the immutable within that which is continually and futilely mutable. Our origins are therefore not a mere compilation of biographical data, but a psychic dimension that somehow continues to act within us, motivating our ideas and choices. It is, in essence, a living history, never truly concluded, but eternally in motion, virtually connecting us to a past that remains part of our present and will indeed shape our future. This is the work's approach to historical analysis: not a cold perusal in a museum corridor, but an engaging and passionate narrative that aims to unveil history in its unfolding, in its participation in the formation of the present, and in its continuous state of becoming.
The documentary thus adopts a powerfully immersive visual language, where "the majesty and sense of mystery of California's sacred places" seamlessly integrate with the vastness of its natural landscapes, creating a profound congruence between natural and human geography. From sweeping aerial panoramas of the coast and turbulent sea, the film transitions to intimate details of the sacred icon or the interiors of the Orthodox church, as if nature peacefully embraces human endeavor. The narratives of the interviewees, interspersed between the visual sequences with a measured rhythm and dynamic editing, contribute to fostering a sense of shared historical journey, without ever descending into mere self-serving accounts.
Yet, perhaps most importantly, as the director emphasizes, the film deliberately avoids placing religious dogma at its center. Instead, it endeavors to resonate with all audiences, recounting the wonder of time and destiny, and the "universal desire for truth and connection." What beauty can save the world? Citing Dostoevsky, a film like American Orthodox seems to suggest that the only beauty capable of saving us is that which re-establishes equilibrium between nature and the stories of humanity.
Six questions
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- to get to know the director -
Robert John Hammond
Robert John Hammond is an award-winning screenwriter, author, and producer whose body of work bridges the worlds of literature and film. His documentary American Orthodox, based on his acclaimed book American Orthodox: Finding the Ancient Faith in the Modern World, explores the enduring legacy of ancient Christianity in contemporary America. Hammond is also the author of C.B. DeMille: The Man Who Invented Hollywood, a novel that inspired the biopic currently in development, and earned his screenplay for the project the Best Screenplay Award at the 2011 Los Angeles New Wave International FilmFestival.
What is the message you want to communicate with this film?
A lost icon. A hidden faith. American Orthodox is a cinematic quest across America’s sacred ground—uncovering saints, miracles, and mysteries buried by time. In an age of chaos, this ancient light still burns.
How did you start making movies?
I started out as an extra on a film called Hollywood Shuffle with Robert Townsend and did a few other gigs as an extra and production assistant. I also worked briefly on the MGM lot for Lorimar Telepictures working behind the scenes providing supplies and snacks to various production companies on the lots. I later completed my MFA in Creative Writing with a biopic screenplay about famous early Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille as my thesis project. That served as my calling card script and helped me get a job as a Creative Executive for a literary agency where I did coverage on scripts. From there I worked on about a dozen short films with a co-op in San Francisco as well as a documentary about Bohemian Grove.
Do you always have clear ideas when you are on set? How much weight do you give to improvisation and how much weight do you give to planning?
My main skill is in writing books and screenplay so I focus more on storytelling than the technical aspects such as cinematography, sound, and editing. So much of my on set experience is in helping directors achieve their storytelling vision. In my own projects, I begin with a main story, character, and primary locations, but let the story develop on its own and allow for improvisation and unexpected circumstances.
What kind of relationship do you establish with the actors? Do you think these should be left free to express their potential or are you convinced that they should be followed in every single aspect?
I love working with talented actors and believe that they should be free to express their potential within the framework of the overall narrative and character description.
What kind of relationship do you have with the universal grammar of cinematographic language? How do you decide which shot to use in a scene, or what camera movement to apply to achieve your goal?
For American Orthodox, I relied on my Director of Photography, Silas Karbo who produced the award winning film Sacred Alaska, to decide on most of the shots. I just told him what the story was and what I want to focus on, but didn't dictate how to move the camera. When I write a screenplay, I don't like to use camera directions. I just tell the story and show what happens, allowing the characters to express themselves freely and let the camera people shoot whatever angles they think best capture the scene. In this film, I also worked with Silas Karbo as my editor to fine tune and narrow down the story to create a clear narrative arc.
How much of yours do you put into the movies you make? Do you limit yourself to giving your stylistic imprint or do you try to communicate the truths you believe in, or the moods you would like to convey?
I believe as Dostoevsky so elegantly stated, that beauty will save the world and I try to put beauty into the movies that I make. I want to communicate the truth that I believe in without being preachy or heavy handed. I believe that characters can convey deep truths through story narratives employing subtle narratives through imagery, music, and moods.
Your latest film made a lasting impact for both its language and themes. Naturally, one wonders: what new creative territories are you exploring now? Is there an idea—perhaps still in its early stages—that already feels urgent for you to tell?
My American Orthodox documentary was based on my book, American Orthodox: Finding the Ancient Faith in the Modern World and designed to create a lasting impact in terms of mystical stories and sacred places. I have already published two follow up books, Light Journey and Voice in the Wilderness which take on additional encounters with Saints, Miracles, and Sacred Places throughout North America, including stories about people like Father Seraphim Rose and others who many people consider to be modern saints, or at least highly influential individuals in terms of the spiritual landscape of the modern world. These are stories that need to be told on the big screen as well as in other digital media, perhaps as a television or web based series.
