Shepherd
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? ”
JOB 38:4
LOGLINE
When a young minister of a small church in a small town struggles with the death of his only son, he is forced to question his faith as he searches for meaning in a time of suffering. With everything spiraling out of control, he fights to save his marriage, his church and his soul.
SYNOPSIS
Pastor James, a young minister struggles to “shepherd” his small church. In front of his congregation, James preaches a message of hope, joy and abundance. But in private, he bears the weight of the recent loss of his only son.
James’ wife (Mary) attempts to connect with her husband, but this causes more damage than good. James distances himself from the pain, and busies himself with the needs of the church and the people of his congregation.
When James creates a bond with a young teenager (Gregory) and single Mother (Georgina), who have recently joined the church, he regains hope and feels connected to his purpose. James sees Gregory as a lost soul, and becomes a father figure in the young man’s life.
When Mary needs space and leaves town, Georgina attempts to seduce James, Gregory runs away, and the church board decides to part ways with their pastor, James has nothing left. With everything spiraling out of control, he must fight to save his marriage, his church and his soul.
PRODUCTION
Shepherd is my feature film debut. Using my own savings account to finance the film, with a production budget close to $20,000, a crew of only 5 people and only 19 shooting days…it is a true independent film. In addition to an incredible cast, we placed real people from the area, and had them interact with the cast. This brought realism that could not be scripted, providing a unique glimpse into the African American faith community.
STYLE & TONE
Taking place in the heart of a small southern baptist church, Shepherd is a unique blend of neorealism and transcendental filmmaking. Shot in 1:33:1 aspect ratio with a static camera forces the viewer to engage and find meaning within the frame. Filmed on location in Florida, using many first-time actors and relying heavily on sound design instead of a soundtrack, our attempt was to create an authentic and simple spiritual experience.
DIRECTOR STATEMENT
Growing up a pastor’s kid, spirituality in filmmaking is something I have always been interested in. My work explores transcendental stories of faith and belief, bringing hope in humanity through pain and suffering. Shepherd uncovers my greatest fear as a father: losing a child. To have an innocent soul ripped away with no explanation is something that I grapple with every day. Unfortunately, this narrative is the life story of a few close friends of mine. Having experienced this kind of loss through their eyes created a swirl of emotions inside me: pain, fear and regret.
Begging the question to be asked: “Why a child?”
This is something I still don’t have an answer for.
This is why Shepherd was made.
THE TEAM
Shepherd (2025)
NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM \ RUN TIME: 85 min
written and directed by: Aaron Inman
produced by: Aaron Inman, Rose Nguyen Inman, Larnelle Foster, Julian Gant
CONTACT US TO WATCH THE FILM:
“Never try to convey your idea to the audience - it is a thankless and senseless task. Show them life, and they’ll find within themselves the means to assess and appreciate it.”
ANDRE TARKOVSKY