CENTRE COUNTY — For more than a decade, Hard Faith has returned to central Pennsylvania with cameras, actors and film crews. This summer, the nonprofit organization hopes local residents will once again help bring an important story to life.
Hard Faith will film “REST” and “God Is Beautiful” from Aug. 1 through Sept. 5 at locations in Clearfield, Bellefonte, Philipsburg and State College. The productions are the final two installments of the organization’s Suicide Prevention Trilogy and will feature actor Demetrios Troy, known for portraying Lazarus in “The Chosen”.
McKenna Folmar, Chief Operations Officer for Hard Faith, said the organization was founded in 2012 by her husband, Spencer Folmar, whose lifelong passion for filmmaking inspired him to create stories that reflected both faith and the realities of life.
“He became a Christian and he started watching Christian films,” Folmar said. “He was like, ‘Well, this does not accurately portray the world or anything. They feel very sanitized and not realistic.’ So he started Hard Faith to kind of be that niche category to bridge the world and art and film and Christianity because God didn’t come to save people with just PG lives. He came to save everyone.”
The organization has produced films in central Pennsylvania for about 10 years, something Folmar attributes to both the area’s beauty and its people.
“I think that this part of Pennsylvania is the prettiest area in the whole world,” she said. “We’re just so in love with the nature here, the people here. This is my husband’s hometown, and he likes bringing that excitement and movie fun to the community that’s always been so supportive and so lovely.”
The trilogy began earlier this year with “The Days Are Evil”, the story of a father grieving the loss of his daughter to suicide. “God Is Beautiful” shifts the focus to the mother, while “REST” follows the family’s son as each struggles to cope with the tragedy.
“You don’t have to watch all three to understand what’s going on,” Folmar said. “But you do get behind-the-scenes details because it follows a family’s life who lost their daughter to suicide and shows how they all work through their grief.”
Folmar acknowledged that portraying suicide requires great care. Hard Faith consulted with suicide prevention organizations while developing the films to ensure appropriate language and messaging.
“It’s really hard. It’s really emotional,” she said. “Every time I read especially “REST”, I cry because it’s so sad. Every 11 minutes someone in America dies by suicide. It’s so incredibly difficult to talk about but it’s so important. I feel like so many people don’t want to talk about suicide prevention because it’s so hard, but it’s so important that people do so this whole group of people can know they’re loved and cared for and should stay here with us.”
Hard Faith is currently seeking local residents of all ages to serve as extras during filming. No previous acting experience is necessary.
“It’s really, really fun,” Folmar said. “You get a ton of behind-the-curtain experience of how a film is made. We have some big church scenes, some big funeral scenes and lots of need for extras.”
For those facing hopelessness or thoughts of suicide, Folmar offered a heartfelt message.
“Their life is so meaningful and they are loved even more than they know,” she said. “Even though it’s so hard now, it won’t always be. There are so many people who would love to talk to them and they should call 988 if they are struggling.”
Those interested in serving as an extra can email McKenna Folmar at mckenna@hardfaith.com.
Hard Faith is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Those who wish to support the films financially may make donations through the organization’s homepage hardfaith.org.
