A Christian adventure movie for the whole family

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

Having been surrounded by beauty and exploring nature as a French Boy Scout growing up in south France outside of Cannes, Daniel Rabourdin laments how children today are glued to their screens and not observant to God’s creation in nature.

As a Catholic independent filmmaker, writer and former EWTN producer, Rabourdin has promoted Catholic virtues and noble causes in several family-oriented films: “Theology of the Table,” “St. Joan of Arc” and “The Hidden Rebellion” (hiddenrebellion.com).

“I wanted to provide the alternative of social teachings that the church has provided for centuries,” he said.

Rabourdin’s current pilot “Oath” explores a teenager’s search for meaning and faith as he escapes dark forces to eventually save New Orleans. Louisiana and the scenic French countryside play prominently in the film as Max embarks on a quest to find his grandfather and the treasure he has hidden in France away from unscrupulous Louisiana art dealers, who descend from pirate Jean Lafitte.

Rabourdin said the script’s inspiration was the preponderance of pre-teens and teens who essentially raise themselves and play video games endlessly in dark rooms.

“It breaks my heart,” he said. “I hope this film provides what they don’t have” and encourages outside activities. “Even though they may only be 12 or 14, they can dream of noble ambition in life,” he said.

Taking risks to make film

Rabourdin, 60, believes so much in the project that he sold his house and works mostly with volunteer actors and other crew. He chose a Louisiana locale for part of the film – having lived in Lafayette at age 24 and studying journalism at the University of Southwestern Louisiana on scholarships from a Rotary Club in France and CODOFIL. He had first visited Lafayette with his Aunt Monique, a Le Cannet City Hall employee, when it was a twinned city of Le Cannet, his hometown.

He returned to live in New Orleans a few years ago and developed the “Oath” as a sort of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with a definitive local Catholic twist involving one of Our Lady of Prompt Succor’s jeweled crowns being found in the bayou. Our Lady of Prompt Succor is not only the patron saint of Louisiana – we pray every Jan. 8 to her for saving the Old Ursuline Convent from fire and New Orleans from the British invasion in the Battle of New Orleans – but Rabourdin also made her the patron of his film.

From philosophy to filmmaking

Rabourdin studied philosophy at the Catholic University in Paris before graduating from the Sorbonne with a master’s in Thomistic (St. Thomas Aquinas) philosophy. His mother nurtured his faith – he recalled her encouraging him to pray to Mary because the Blessed Mother is close to God in heaven – but faith was more tradition in his family than faithful practice.

“It leaves a mark (on people) even if they have become agnostic,” he said about the French identifying as Catholic by their virtues. “Their love has eternity, their friendship has eternity, their devotion to a cause is lethal – some will die for it.”

Rabourdin also studied film at San Francisco State University and then returned to Europe as an assistant professor for two years at a Catholic journalism school in Brussels, Belgium. He also has written for the political magazine “Valeurs Actuelles.”

“This brought me into documentaries,” he said. “There was creativity. I totally loved being in the field, directing a crew and improvising as we went, to see what camera angle would render the most beautiful reality of the natural habitat.”

Faith became tantamount in his life after Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio of Ignatius Press in San Francisco recommended him for a job at Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). He made documentaries there for 18 years.

“When I was at EWTN, I had started to strengthen my faith,” he said, and he vowed to imbue his craft with meaning. He didn’t want to waste his life.

“Why would I make films for entertainment only?” he said. 

“I am going to be like a knight, who, even without a home or family, I could go on the road and do good things. Let’s do everything for the highest reason. … The highest is for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.”

Divine intervention brought him back to his French ancestral home when French Bishop Dominique Rey visited EWTN and convinced EWTN chief executive officer and board chairman Michael Warsaw to develop a French-speaking branch.

“For maybe six or seven years, I rediscovered France,” Rabourdin said. “I would visit French saints’ (sites) and shrines” and develop French Catholic programs, like a documentary on St. Joan of Arc in Orleans and St. Mary Magdalen, because of the need for saints in France.

About eight years ago, he took a leap of faith and created his own film company, “For You Joan, LLC,” inspired by his documentary work on St. Joan of Arc. “The Hidden Rebellion” (hiddenrebellion.com) movie was the subject of a 2022 Lent retreat at St. Dominic in New Orleans.

Rabourdin hopes his works reflect gratitude for what God has given him and encourages others to live a life of purpose and service. He also has begun teaching acting with a Christian spirit.

“I don’t want  to produce any film that is not Catholic,” Rabourdin said. “I think I would like to reach families who want to watch a decent, inspiring film … an entertaining film with noble values.”

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