Grace Bryant snaps a clapperboard with actors Maggie Saffian and Nate Shackelford.
Courtesy | Charlie Cheng
Can Protestants and Catholics date? That’s the question a new short film will ask at a pair of showings on Valentine’s Day.
“Shall We,” directed by junior Charlie Cheng, tells the romance of a Catholic and a Protestant at Hillsdale, starring sophomores Nate Shackelford and Maggie Saffian.
The Film and Production Club will screen the film in Plaster Auditorium Feb. 14, at 7 p.m. and at 8 p.m. with a Q&A session in between. The club will show the film again on Feb. 21 in the TV Lounge of the Grewcock Student Union.
Cheng said his idea for a Catholic and Protestant romance film began with an observation of students’ hesitation to date people from a different Christian denomination.
“There’s a silent warning that pushes people away from pursuing somebody of opposite denominations. I started asking myself, ‘Is it possible for Protestants to date a Catholic?’” Cheng said. “That’s what inspired me to write this prompt. I was talking to Maggie about this issue, because, in reality, she’s dating a Protestant as a Catholic. So then we exchanged some ideas, and eventually I wrote the script.”
According to Cheng, “Shall We” has been a year in the making, having begun shooting in March 2024. The Film and Production Club began shooting in March 2024, paused for summer break, and returned to production in the fall.
Shackelford said that the film required sacrifices from homework and spending time with friends since they shot on Friday evenings and during the day on Saturdays.
“It was five hours per shooting session. Some shooting sessions were a little shorter, but most of them took five hours. But I managed to gain a lot of great friendships because of ‘Shall We.’”
Shackelford said that Cheng had wanted him for the part for a while.
“He had auditions, but I didn’t show up,” he said, “I received an email since I didn’t show up. I sprinted to the theater building, and gave my audition. I hope people don’t take it too seriously,” Shackleford added. “It definitely had some more tensions that I felt because I’m a Protestant. In almost every circumstance, it is not a good move as a Protestant to date a Catholic.”
Shackelford said he wanted to thank the entire crew for their efforts.
“I would like to give a huge shoutout to all the people who helped with the production: Charlie, Joshua Burnett, Grace, the cast, and the crew. On camera, you only see five or six characters, and ensemble, but there is so much that has to happen for one shoot. The crew has to help set up, the music has to be created for each scene, and the shots have to be shot from different angles.”
Sophomore Stephanie Surmacz said she is excited to see what the club has in store for viewers.
“I know a couple people who are in it and who were involved in making it, so I’m just really excited to see what they put together,” Surmacz stated. “And then I also am just interested in stories about interdenominational relationships. I think it’s definitely a relatable experience for some people here, and it’ll be really interesting to see their take on that.”
Cheng said he does not want the film to create more divides.
“I don’t want people to view it as a theological discussion,” Cheng said. “Instead, I want people to remember it is a romance about two freshmen students in Hillsdale who genuinely love each other. I think that’s the most important message.”