Yelena Popovic, Director of Moses the Black, Joins Father Turbo Qualls

Father Turbo and Yelena Popovic discuss her inspiration for the upcoming film “Moses the Black,” including her story of overcoming a writing block and discovering the missing piece of the story through prayer at a monastery; her shared icon of St. Moses the Black, gifted from an African nun, with Father Moses Berry of blessed memory; behind-the-scenes moments of filming and bonding in Chicago with former gangsters; and Father’s praise of the film for its unfiltered nature and authentic depiction of genuine repentance. For the full interview with Father Turbo:    • Moses the Black Movie's Yelena Popovic’s F...   Please click here to join and watch the entire episode. https://www.skool.com/synaxisofsophia To contact the Convent, please click here: https://ourladyofthelost.org To purchase my icons and support the nuns, please visit https://www.desertwisdombookstore.com. To listen to my homilies:    / @stmaryofegyptorthodoxchurch   Timestamp Bookmarks: 0:00 – Wisdom Has Built Her House (Opening Reading) 0:45 – Who Was St. Moses the Black? From Gangster to Saint 1:25 – Choosing the Right Battle 1:46 – Praying at the Tomb: The Film’s Breakthrough Moment 2:17 – Seeing the Film Clearly for the First Time 3:01 – Why Truth Matters More Than Technique 3:22 – Going to Chicago for the Truth 3:40 – Meeting Reggie King Berry: From Mafia to Ministry 4:15 – Asking the Community for Its Blessing 5:12 – “I Thought I’d Never See You Again” 5:57 – The West Side of Chicago and the Power of the Icon 6:45 – Stories Drawn from Real Lives, Not Fiction 7:14 – Writing Dialogue with Real People, Not Actors 7:38 – Why Authentic Language Matters 8:05 – Avoiding Hollywood Caricatures 8:29 – Father Turbo’s Role in the Film 9:06 – “Because It’s Real”: Why the Script Worked 10:03 – Playing a Priest Without Acting 10:56 – Why Sugarcoating Destroys the Medicine 12:04 – Saints’ Lives Are Intense Because They’re True 13:12 – Why People Reject Sanitized Christianity 14:29 – Jesus Still Sits with Sinners 15:02 – A Personal Relationship with St. Moses the Black 15:36 – Asking for Father Moses Berry’s Blessing 16:03 – Encountering Grace Face-to-Face 16:47 – “I Believe He Was a Holy Man” 17:16 – The Icon in the Cemetery Chapel 18:26 – No Coincidences: Providence at Work 19:25 – St. Moses, Judgment, and Hypocrisy 20:20 – The Saint Is Whole: Past and Repentance Together 21:17 – Keeping Violence Honest, Not Gratuitous 21:49 – Truth Is What People Recognize 22:18 – The Samaritan Woman and the Power of Honesty 23:36 – Confession Before Revelation 24:29 – What Real Repentance Actually Looks Like 25:37 – Repentance Hidden from Human Eyes 26:11 – Why St. Moses Is the Saint of Repentance 26:54 – Invitation: Join the Synaxis of Sophia Community