Alexandre O. Philippe (Leap of Faith)

The director shares what it was like to work with his mentor and why a film like The Exorcist merits such a comprehensive examination like the Shudder documentary, 'Leap of Faith'.

Philippe's most recent feature length project, Leap of Faith, takes an in-depth look at the genesis and execution of one of cinema's most enduring entires directly from the man that directed it, William Friedkin.

During his conversation with Downey, the director discussed how his previous examination of legendary shower scene in Psycho with his 78/52 documentary, (the shower scene in Psycho famously featured 78 different shots and 52 different cuts to create the finished product) began a line of communication between he and Friedkin.

Grouping the film into a category with the likes of The Shining and Psycho, both Philippe and Downey discussed how these types of films don't just bolster the genre, they have a transformative quality to them that make the film definitive setting them apart from their genre.

The Exorcist shaped culture in a way that made the film resonate as much more than just a movie. To watch it was a rite of passage, an experience that has to be completed before you die, and that serves as a testament to the vision and storytelling ability of Friedkin.

Furthering that conversation, Philippe's Leap of Faith takes an almost scholarly approach in how it explores Friedkin's methodology in making the film. The result was such a genuine tribute to the director's creative contribution, that Friedkin shared with Philippe that the documentary made him better the he was - the words from his mentor were enough to move Philippe to tears while reading the message.