Jerry Paquette is the director of Called to Tonga, the inspirational and true story of a family that decided to move from the United States to a small island in the South Pacific. Chris, a construction worker and ex-drug addict, after experiencing the redemptive power of faith, decides to pack up and move his family from the United States 8,000 miles away to the small island nation of Tonga in the South Pacific.
The film screens at the Churches Making Movies Christian Film Festival in Secaucus, New Jersey on Saturday, October 14th at 4:00 pm. For tickets, visit churchesmakingmovies.com
What is your film background? I grew up creating short independent films with my family.
As a Christian, how do you see yourself impacting the film industry? I don’t really have a desire to impact the film industry, but rather people’s lives in knowing Jesus Christ.
What was the biggest challenge you overcame to make your film?
Procrastination
Who are your biggest influences in film and why? Prior to being born again, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino for their cinematography and characters.
What is the funniest or weirdest thing that has ever happened to you on set? Shooting a scene of actors who are walking and talking backwards only to reverse the footage in post production to appear normal for the end result.
What is your favorite Bible verse? How does this influence your filmmaking? “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44 Before finding the ‘treasure in the field’, entertainment and self glorification was the motivator to film. Upon finding the treasure, those motivations became a shallow thing to me. My only desire now is to testify to the treasure in the field as it’s value infinitely exceeds the dissipating smoke this world offers.