Church Camp (2022)

Josh, a gawky camp counselor who puts the bi in Bible Camp, teeters on the edge of coming out to the entire camp.

Director - Andrew D Bourne

Director - Andrew D Bourne

Director Biography - Andrew D Bourne

Andrew Bourne grew up in his parent’s photography store, but he decided to rebel and pursue filmmaking instead. He first caught the storytelling bug while traveling in an RV with his family and videotaping eccentric people that he’d soon base his stories on. Andrew graduated from Florida State’s College of Motion Picture Arts with an emphasis in directing. Andrew loves creating comedic films with a personal, heartfelt touch. He’s based in New York City.

Director Statement

A good portion of my childhood was spent in church camps, both as a camper and as a counselor. Like many LGBTQ youth, I struggled with being bisexual while also being involved in church life. I even came out to a pastor, which probably wasn’t a good idea at the church camp I was at, where speaking in tongues and crying about sensual desire was par for the course. I have been hesitant about making a film about my sexuality for as long as I’ve been making short films, but with my capstone college project, I wanted to take the leap. It was important to me to tell a story about a bisexual protagonist that was comedic in nature, as many LGBTQ stories feature trauma and drama in the forefront of their depictions of queer people. Church camps, with their ridiculous activities and traditions, makes them a ripe place for comedy, and most of this film stems from the real experiences I had in a Georgia church camp (even a full-sized Jesus made of bread.) I hope, even with recent anti-gay legislation, that all churches become a safe place for LGBTQ youth, and that queer people can laugh at the quirky church-isms that graced their childhoods by watching this film.

Please tell us your motivation for making your film:

I used to go to church camps and wanted to show an optimistic version of it

What are the themes and central messages you wanted to convey with your submission?:

Churches should be affirming for queer people.

Please list ANY possible CONTENT / TRIGGER Warnings:

Religious trauma

Church Camp (2022) Credits:

Andrew D Bourne

Director

Jaeyln Ellis

Producer

Espen Brante

Key Cast

"Josh"

Kyra Johnson

Key Cast

"Sophie"

Andrew Bourne

Story by

Matthew Romanski

Story by

Andrew Bourne

Screenplay by

Matthew Romanski

Director of Photography

Church Camp (2022) Specs:

Project Type:

Student, Short

Genres:

Comedy, Drama, Coming of age

Runtime:

13 minutes 42 seconds

Completion Date:

April 30, 2022

Production Budget:

2,000 USD

Country of Origin:

United States

Country of Filming:

United States

Shooting Format:

RED

Aspect Ratio:

2.39:1

Film Color:

Color

First-time Filmmaker:

No

Student Project:

Yes - Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts