Hard Faith Podcast

Hard Faith Fest LA Year Four — Official Selections & Nominations Announcement In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, Spencer and McKenna Folmar give a full update on everything happening with Hard Faith, including the recent wrap of their newest feature film, The Days Are Evil, and the upcoming fourth annual Hard Faith Fest LA, taking place June 25–28, 2026 at Lake Avenue Church in Pasaden...

In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, Spencer Folmar sits down with Los Angeles screenwriter Kimberly Jade Soliman to talk about her path into screenwriting, her long-standing connection to Hard Faith, and the grit it takes to build a career in film while staying grounded in faith. Spencer highlights Kimberly’s discipline, consistency, and practical approach to finding work, while Kimberly sh...

In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar sits down with filmmaker and cinematographer Sean Malone, whose striking black-and-white short film Grand Canyon won second place at this year’s Hard Faith Film Festival in Hollywood.  Sean shares the deeply personal inspiration behind Grand Canyon, a film born out of the isolation, grief, and spiritual weight many experienced during t...

In the Season 4 premiere of the Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar welcomes back the show’s only recurring guest across every season, Nathan Clarkson , for a wide-ranging conversation on faith, honesty, and storytelling. The episode centers on Nathan’s new book I’m the Worst: Freedom Is Found in Admitting Our Faults, which explores the personal and cultural consequences of refusing to acknowl...

On the Season 3 finale of the Hard Faith Podcast, Spencer Folmar is joined by his wife and Hard Faith COO, McKenna Folmar, for a candid end-of-year reflection that closes out 2025 and looks ahead to what God may be preparing in 2026. Together, they unpack a year marked by both deep suffering and unexpected fruit—sharing openly about loss, perseverance, and why Hard Faith continues to exist for art...

On this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, Spencer Folmar sits down with filmmaker, director, writer, and educator Sam Sorich for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about faith, art, envy, conversion, and the spiritual cost of creating meaningful work in a volatile cultural moment. Sam reflects on his connection to Hard Faith Fest, where his visually striking anthology feature Eight Bea...

On this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, Spencer Folmar sits down with filmmaker Chris Mac, the award-winning director behind the short film Sons of Thunder—a proof-of-concept for an upcoming feature. Chris opens up about the film’s heart, the deep Biblical inspiration behind its title, and how he aims to make faith-driven cinema that’s as artistically excellent as it is spiritually honest. Chri...

In this special episode, Spencer sits down with writer, critic, and now feature filmmaker Joseph Holmes to talk about the release of his very first movie, Jim vs The Future, which is officially out and available to watch now. Joseph walks through the journey of bringing his debut feature to life—from the earliest ideas, to the challenges of independent production, to the joy (and terror) of finall...

In this powerful in-person episode, Spencer sits down with longtime friend and real-life Saint Nick, Allen Smith—the man whose remarkable true story inspired Saint Nick of Bethlehem and the upcoming documentary Sad Santa and the Healing Power of Giving. Allen shares how a simple act of lifting his grieving family’s spirits one Christmas launched him into twelve years of portraying Santa Claus acro...

In this episode of The Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar sits down with author, screenwriter, and professor Sean Gaffney to explore the intersection of storytelling, faith, and the power of myth. Sean—who has worked everywhere from Warner Bros. to VeggieTales and now teaches screenwriting at Asbury University—joins us to discuss his new book, Meta Story: What Marvel & the Messiah Can Tea...

In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, Spencer Folmar sits down with filmmaker Autumn Libengood, whose short film Bleeding Heart was recently featured at the Hard Faith Film Festival. Autumn opens up about her 19-year journey in filmmaking—from early music video inspiration to bold, R-rated faith-driven storytelling that refuses to shy away from life’s raw edges. She shares how near-death illn...

On this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, Spencer Folmar sits down with filmmaker Jason Munden—director, producer, and creative force behind the award-winning short film Ripple. Jason shares his journey from years of corporate production in Los Angeles to following God’s call to tell stories that matter. He opens up about the moment he realized he didn’t just want to make content for major brands...

🎙 Hard Faith Podcast – Season 3, Episode 4: Hard Faith Fest After months away from the mic, Spencer Folmar is back with a full recap of everything you missed—from moving into a new home to hosting the biggest Hard Faith Film Festival yet. Hear behind-the-scenes stories from the 3-day Hollywood event, exciting news about the first-ever Hard Faith Fest NYC coming this December, and updates on upcomi...

In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar welcomes Monique and Paige to discuss Vision Reel, a unique approach to visualizing and shaping one’s future through faith and storytelling. The conversation traces their friendship back to Monique and Paige’s podcast, Sacred Potential, which led them to discover Spencer’s work on Holy Traitor, sparking a deep creative connection. The...

Podcast Summary: Nathan Clarkson & Spencer Folmar on Bright Sky, Hard Faith, and Filmmaking Without Excuses On this episode, Nathan Clarkson and Spencer Folmar sit down to talk about their newest film, Bright Sky, which releases February 7, 2025, on all digital platforms, home video rentals, and DVD. The duo dives deep into the making of Bright Sky, exploring the heart of Hard Faith storytelli...

In this emotional and deeply personal episode of The Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar and his wife, McKenna, open up about the heartbreaking loss of their daughter, Mary Claire. As they navigate the grief and faith challenges that come with such a profound loss, they share their raw emotions, reflections, and the journey of healing. This episode marks the beginning of Season 3, offering an...

Hard Faith Podcast | Season 2 Finale In this heartfelt and candid season finale, Spencer Folmar reflects on a momentous and challenging year for Hard Faith and his family. From officially transitioning Hard Faith into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to celebrating the theatrical release of Saint Nick of Bethlehem and publishing his book, The Need for Hard Faith, Spencer shares the triumphs and trials that s...

In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar dives into an inspiring conversation with Kaleb and Kyler Cook of Twin Bowl Media, filmmakers from central Pennsylvania. The Cook brothers discuss their journey of blending faith and filmmaking, highlighting their award-winning short film, David: A King’s Calling. The film, set in Pennsylvania but doubling as ancient Israel, has captur...

In this episode, we explore the journey behind Out of the Flames, a gripping 14th-century historical drama by screenwriter Stephanie Hutchinson. This award-winning screenplay, which took the Grand Prize at the Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays and Hard Faith Fest, transports us into a world of medieval challenges and profound faith. Stephanie shares the inspiration behind the scri...

In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar sits down with award-winning director Brad Alexander to discuss his documentary The Threshing Floor. The film, which received both the top award and the audience award at the Hard Faith Film Festival, is described as an evangelism story disguised as an addiction film. Brad shares how he was inspired to tell the story of his friend, who...

In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar, founder of Hard Faith, interviews filmmaker Matthew McCaulley about his award-winning feature film unDEFILED. They discuss the film’s origins, inspired by shocking statistics on pornography use among churchgoers and pastors, and the journey from script development to final production. Matthew shares insights into the ministry-first ap...

In this episode of the Hard Faith Podcast, host Spencer Folmar speaks with award-winning filmmaker John Kestner, who recently won Best Experimental Short Film at the Hard Faith 2024 Film Festival for “The Foxhole.” They discuss the unique environment of the festival, which embraces challenging and faith-adjacent narratives. John shares his experiences creating thought-provoking films, the inspirat...

Today Spencer & Co-Host McKenna Folmar talk about all the details and events taking place at the Hard Faith Film Festival. The event takes place in one week at the Garland Hotel in North Hollywood CA. July 19 + 20 from 10AM - 6PM. We hope you can join us for the 2nd Annual Film Festival Event! Learn more at www. HardFaith.org/festival  

Today we talk with filmmaker David Pozdyrka about his Hard Faith Fest 2023 winning short film "Cohabitation" as well as announcing our new streaming channel to find Hard Faith Films! You can now rent films on the HardFaith.org website. David lives in the country of Moldova and we talk about Christians depicted in art, the use of art to portray ourselves and moral themes, as well as David's process...

Today we interview filmmaker Benjamin Ironside Koppin and lead actress Courtney Bandeko of the upcoming theatrical release of "Pastor's Kid" (2024).  The film comes out March 15  Pastor's Kid in theaters nationwide March 15, 16, 17. https://pastorskidthemovie.com/ https://www.fandango.com/pastors-kid-2024-235233/movie-overview Benjamin Ironside Koppin Bio: Benjamin Ironside Koppin is an award winn...