An Interview with Victor Sarin

Left Behind: What brought you to (attracted you) work on Left Behind: The movie knowing your impressive body of work?

Victor Sarin: I am very much attracted to issue scripts which deal with humanity, in particular to the spiritual aspect in all of us. Left Behind provided just that.

LB: Why did you choose to work with Cloud Ten Pictures? Have you worked with Peter/Paul Lalonde before?

Victor: Joe Goodman of Namesake Entertainment saw a couple of my films and sent me a script. We talked about my vision for the film and he recommended me to Cloud Ten Pictures. Then I spoke with Peter and Ralph and felt we had a wonderful story to tell and felt that we all saw it the same way, so I signed on. No I haven't worked with Cloud Ten before this project.

LB: How do you feel about the apocalyptic premise of the movie?

Victor: Food for thought at the present. In future I intend to spend even more time in researching and reading the bible to have a meaningful understanding of the prophecies. My interest has definitely been piqued and I have gained a tremendous admiration for many of the people I have met who are very knowledgeable in this area.

LB: Putting your director 'hat' on, can you explain to me how you have interpreted the screenplay?

Victor: The screenplay had to work for the insider and the outsider. It also needed a certain logic and honesty for the characters so this is what I tried to bring to the script as a Director within the timeframe and budget we had. The central theme of Left Behind, the Rapture, I wanted to set on an international stage, therefore giving the film a larger than life feel to it to bring home the awesome scope of this phenomenon.

LB: What criteria do you use (if any) to assist in your decision to direct a movie?

Victor: The film has to say something and stand for something with some redeeming quality to it. I also look for scripts where I feel I can make something interesting not just standard. I also look for films that give me the opportunity to personally grow with the experience of making that film.

LB: Do you feel that this genre of movie will continue to thrive and succeed? Why or why not?

Victor: I think the genre will thrive. Let us just take a look at the success of the books and the resurgence of faith and spirituality in our own present time. There is now more need than ever to seek faith and spirituality.

LB: How do you think this movie will impact the audience?

Victor: For insiders I think the movie will confirm what is already deeply rooted in their minds and for outsiders it will be food for thought.

LB: You talked about the movie 'Insider' inspiring you for this movie, can you elaborate on that?

Victor: In a technical sense, the script for Left Behind has certain similarities the Insider i.e. it opens with a great sequence to set up our characters. The Insider had a great sense of tension and I am hoping to achieve this in Left Behind as well. There is a certain similarity in the style both being thrillers of sorts, though the execution is different. But on the total sum I would not compare the two films - they are very different scripts and subjects. The Insider is also a mega budget Hollywood film which affords many luxuries in shooting, while Left Behind was made independently with a much more modest budget.