A free screening of Leap of Faith invites Baltimore audiences to explore how conversation can bridge deep divides. At a time when public debate often collapses into noise, the film offers something quieter and more demanding: people choosing to stay in conversation even when their beliefs collide. Created by Nicholas Ma, producer of the acclaimed movie about Fred Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, the film follows twelve Christian leaders who gather for a series of retreats on faith, identity, and disagreement.
The SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University will host a free screening on Tuesday, October 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the SNF Parkway Theatre in Baltimore. The event includes a short meet-and-greet with Ma, the full screening, and a post-film discussion with Ma, Nancy Proctor (Executive Director of SNF Parkway), and Kristen Cambell (Senior Fellow at Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement, a philanthropic laboratory for funders seeking to maximize their impact on democracy and civic life in America). Admission is free, and registration is required. Free popcorn and non-alcoholic beverage are available to the first 100 attendees.
Ma said the question at the heart of the film, whether we can disagree and still see one another as part of the same community, first caught his attention because it seemed unanswerable. “It’s a question that feels impossible right now,” he said. “That these pastors wanted to head straight for it was intriguing. Every time I thought I knew what would happen next, I was wrong. Perhaps that was the greatest lesson, that the world of possible outcomes is far larger than we allow ourselves to believe, especially when we are anxious or angry.”
His insight into the value of uncertainty aligns with the mission of the SNF Agora Institute, which seeks to understand how dialogue and collective learning sustain democracy. Through its research and public programs, SNF Agora explores how people with different viewpoints can build understanding.
Reflecting on how his craft shapes the film’s tone, Ma said his approach to filmmaking mirrors the themes his subjects explore. “We are so language-focused,” he explained. “But film is not a words-based medium; it is a visual one. It allows us to endure silence and sense time in a way we cannot on the page. You cannot care for someone in pain quickly or repair relationships efficiently. You have to give those tasks the time they require.”
The film’s rhythm reflects that belief. Viewers see conversations that stretch and breathe, moments of tension followed by quiet recognition. In a culture that rewards speed and certainty, Leap of Faith slows down to show what it means to stay present.
The next day, Ma will join journalist Isaac Saul and SNF Agora Institute faculty member Leah Wright Rigueur at the SNF Agora Institute’s Elijah E. Cummings Democracy and Freedom Festival for a session titled Making Space for Dialogue and Disagreement in an Ideologically Diverse World. Their conversation will explore how art, media, and civic spaces can sustain disagreement while maintaining respect. Looking ahead to that discussion, Ma said he hopes to uncover how shared values shape civic life. “I think all our conversations about civics start from some shared values,” he said. “Making those values explicit and exploring where disagreements get harder, where philosophy overrides logic or emotion, feels really important right now.” Registration is full, but you can join the Festival wait list here.
Both the film and the festival explore how democratic life depends on practice as much as principle. Each invites audiences to view dialogue as a shared act of understanding.
| Free public screening of Leap of Faith Tuesday, October 14 | 6:30 p.m. SNF Parkway Theatre, 5 W North Ave, Baltimore Hosted by the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University |
