Angel Studios Co-Founder Jeff Harmon Discusses ‘Cabrini’ and Being a Hollywood Disruptor

Angel Studios co-founder and CCO Jeffrey Harmon attends the "Cabrini" premiere in New York City, on Feb. 26, 2024. Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Angel Studios

In a conversation with The Epoch Times, Jeff Harmon, co-founder and Chief Content Officer of Angel Studios, shed light on the significance of the upcoming film, “Cabrini,” set to be released Friday.

“This film, even though it’s about events 120 years ago, is totally relevant to events today,” Mr. Harmon said. “It’s about immigration, it’s about how to help those in need, the poor and orphans. It’s about resilience against government and institutions.”

Transporting audiences to the bustling streets of the early 20th-century in the Five Points neighborhood of New York, “Cabrini” is an epic biopic about Mother Francesca Cabrini, also known as St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, an Italian Catholic missionary nun who founded an orphanage in New York in the early 20th century and established a global network of charitable organizations.

The film, directed by Alejandro Monteverde, who also directed last summer’s “Sound of Freedom,” depicts Mother Cabrini’s struggle against the hostile environment of New York City and her efforts to support the Italian immigrant community, despite resistance from authorities and societal prejudices against women.

The movie culminates with a scene in which Mother Cabrini, portrayed by Cristiana Dell’Anna, successfully convinces the mayor of New York, played by John Lithgow, to support her mission. This scene highlights the resilience and determination of the saint, who challenges the city’s old boy network and proves the importance of women’s contributions.

“She was a firecracker and she would not stop going,” Mr. Harmon remarked, capturing the essence of the film’s protagonist and her relentless pursuit of goodness.

Reflecting on the film’s underlying themes, Mr. Harmon delved into Mother Cabrini’s profound philosophy on immigration. “She said when you come to a country, you love the country. You work on your own and you bring what you have. You bring your skills to that country and you contribute. You don’t ask for things,” he emphasized, underscoring the relevance of Mother Cabrini’s message in contemporary discourse on immigration and the humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

Anticipating the film’s impact on viewers’ perspectives, Mr. Harmon expressed optimism. “The people coming here for a better life, it’s not their fault. We have a bad system set up,” he remarked, highlighting the film’s potential to provoke meaningful reflection and dialogue.

Mr. Harmon emphasized “Cabrini’s” resonance across diverse audiences and its ability to bridge political divides.

“Both sides of the aisle are loving this film,” Mr. Harmon said, citing the widespread acclaim the film garnered during previews. Reflecting on Mr. Lithgow’s portrayal of the New York mayor, he noted, “This is the highest-rated film in Lithgow’s history.” Mr. Lithgow has had an illustrious career on both stage and in film, racking up Prime Time Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Tony Awards.

The Angel Guild

Navigating through the intricacies of the Hollywood ecosystem, Mr. Harmon offered insights into Angel Studios’  approach. “We operate on a guild system,” he explained, emphasizing the studio’s commitment to democratizing the filmmaking process and empowering audiences to shape creative narratives. The Angel Guild is a community of fans who help decide what content is distributed by Angel Studios.

The Hollywood system currently operates on what Mr. Harmon calls a “gatekeeper” system. He posed the question of what would happen if Hollywood embraced a new model for filmmakng.

“What if we got rid of the gatekeepers? You have a dozen old men who are bubble-based people in LA. They all live in a bubble. They have this world view and they just make the decisions about everything that’s going into the box office. ” He voiced his intent to change the future of entertainment.

Describing the underlying themes of movies produced by Angel Studios, Mr. Harmon noted, “We want movies to amplify light.”

‘Possum Trot’

As “Cabrini” hits the theaters, Angel Studios looks ahead to its next venture, “Possum Trot,” a sequel to “Sound of Freedom.” The story revolves around the tiny town of Possum Trot, Texas, and sheds light on a disturbing issue: the relationship of the foster care system to child trafficking.

“One thing people may not realize about child trafficking in the United States is that up to 90 percent of all child sex trafficking cases originate from Child Protective Services, with 80 percent stemming from the foster care system.”

Mr. Harmon shared the inspiration for the film: “In a remote area, a small church comprising 22 families felt moved to action and began adopting foster children. Over time, they continued to adopt until the entire region had no foster children left.” Looking at the small, rural black church, he added, “If every church in America followed suit, we could potentially put an end to 80-90 percent of child sex trafficking overnight.”

The FBI estimated at least 60 percent of child sex trafficking victims recovered through FBI raids across the U.S. in 2013 were from foster care or group homes, according to humantraffickingsearch.org. According to the website slaverynomore.com, over 1 million children are trafficked every year.

Discussing the studio’s selection process for film projects, Mr. Harmon said it leans towards themes that reflect the prevailing political and cultural climate in the United States. He referenced the ongoing discourse surrounding abortion.

Mr. Harmon said he anticipates that “Possum Trot” will spark debate. “Because of where the world is sitting right now I think ‘Possum Trot’ will be highly contested.” His hope is that the film prompts discussions about issues and challenges within the adoption system in the United States.

‘All of Middle America Would Have Shown Up’

With the Academy Awards approaching this weekend, Mr. Harmon noted that “Sound of Freedom” did not receive an Oscar nomination. Despite the snub, he is pragmatic: “We’re probably not going to get Oscars, in fact I don’t believe in chasing golden idols.” His intention in making movies is not for the purpose of getting Hollywood awards, he said.

Nonetheless, he emphasized a missed opportunity for the awards: “Mira Sorvino is an Oscar winner. They would have been really, really smart, from a marketing standpoint, to nominate ‘Sound of Freedom’.”

Ms. Sorvino co-starred in the 2023 film and serves as a UN Goodwill ambassador in the fight against human trafficking. Reflecting on the potential marketing impact the move would have had, Mr. Harmon added, “If the Oscars had just nominated Sound of Freedom, they would have doubled their audience size. All of middle America would have shown up to watch the Oscars to see if this movie could win.”

Addressing the industry’s stance on diversity and DEI requirements, Mr. Harmon said, “Diversity is a good thing for them, but they don’t like thought diversity.”

Reflecting on the future of Angel Studios, the moviemaker said, “You have the Marvel universe, you have the Star Wars universe, you’ve got the ‘Fast and The Furious’. You’ve got these gigantic franchises. I tell people we’re buildng the ’family universe.'”