Finding Faith through Film
For Eddie Siebert, S.J., mass media has the power to inform, inspire and entertain, which is why he chose to pursue an M.F.A. in film production at LMU. “Jesus told stories, and Jesuits have been at the forefront of storytelling for over 450 years,” he explained. “In order to carry on the tradition in the present day, it only made sense to study film and television.”
To the New York Times, he’s known as “The Jesuit in Hollywood,” citing his filmmaking career; he most recently executive produced the film “The Pope’s Exorcist” starring Russell Crowe. To the LMU community, he is known for many roles, including rector of the Jesuit community, a senior lecturer in the School of Film and Television, and caretaker of Buster, LMU’s beloved therapy dog.
He is also the founder and president of Loyola Productions, Inc., collaborating closely with colleagues to use the medium effectively and ensuring the Jesuit mission is rooted in each of its productions. “We must carry on the rich Catholic tradition of the communication arts by weaving our sacramental truths through dynamic, modern, artistic storytelling,” Father Siebert shared. “It has the potential to invite viewers to encounter God in unexpected ways.”