A lyrical and spiritual cinematic essay on The Exorcist, LEAP OF FAITH explores the uncharted depths of William Friedkin’s mind’s eye, the nuances of his filmmaking process, and the mysteries of faith and fate that have shaped his life and filmography.

DIRECTOR’S BRIEF COMMENT ON THE FILM

When Billy Friedkin gave me the opportunity, and carte blanche, to make this film, I told him “I’d like to use the Hitchcock/Truffaut interview model, and unpack your process over several days, but focus exclusively on The Exorcist.” I wanted LEAP OF FAITH to be a personal, intimate chamber film, and to reveal the real, raw, introspective Friedkin; unencumbered by the lore, tall tales, and mythologies that we are all too familiar with. In preparation for this, I watched the film for 30 days straight, and ended up conducting an epic 6-day one-on-one interview. The result is a surprising portrait of one of my personal heroes—the confessional of a master filmmaker deeply moved and influenced by art, music, and grace notes; generously willing to share his process, techniques, and philosophy; and unafraid to openly, vulnerably regret, and even question, some of the difficult choices he had to make while directing one of the greatest movies of all time.