A few words about our team members and why they support our work on the film – many of them just for the glory of God.

Maria Ingrid Bandmann

The documentary director and author Maria Ingrid Bandmann has been working for German television since 1995. In addition to Christian themed films, she filmed a series of documentary films after the collapse of the Soviet Union in Russia and Eastern Europe for the well-known series in Germany “Countries People Adventure”. Two of them can be watched here on YouTube in Russian version and one movie in German.

 

  • Darko Bursac
    Darko Bursac (1975)
    is a Belgrade – based cinematographer. Graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade – camera department. Employed at Serbian National Broadcasting Corporation for more than 20 years but also works as a freelancer for various employers. Collaborated on various projects, from movies and TV shows to documentaries and commercials. Webseite….
  • Milan Rakic
    Milan Rakic (1984)
    is a Belgrade – based director of photography. He has graduated from the Academy of Arts in Belgrade – photography and camera department. He is employed at Serbian Broadcasting Corporation but he also works as a freelancer for employers such as NBC and UNICEF. Over the last 13 years, he has collaborated on various projects, from movies and TV shows to documentaries and to commercials. Webseite….
  • Maximilian Schmige

    Maximilian Schmige
    was born in Berlin, Germany and is a dual citizen of Germany and Finland. He is the son of the well-known German movie and TV writer Hartmann Schmige.

    Schmige has filmed TV shows, features, commercials, music videos and 360 Virtual Reality films. Recently Schmige completed 2nd unit work for season 2 on Cosmos with Neil DeGrass Tyson. Schmige has extensive travel experience in Mexico, Costa Rica, Germany, Norway, Serbia, Greece, Russia, India, Jordan, Malaysia and Thailand.

    He resides in Los Angeles and splits his time between the USA, Europe and anyplace work takes him. He graduated from the American Film institute with a Masters in cinematography and is a member of IATSE Local 600 as a Director of Photography.Webseite….

  • Sergey Prudchenko

    Sergey Prudchenko
    The operator lives in Germany and St. Petersburg. Sergei was introduced to Maria by his mother, whom she received in the parish of St. Johannes von Shanghai in Cottbus.

  • Andrey Orlov
    operator from Kiev, came twice to the Sviatohirsk Lavra, and to Kiev, where he shot the drone footage.

  • Johannes Sigel

    Johannes Sigel
    Production Assistant, also with the award – winning serial pilot, Dr. Illegal “, director of” MachDeinFilm “, Master of Arts (M.A.) educational research

    My father was brought into Orthodoxy by a priest who had been ordained by Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco himself. Thus, already during my youth I listened to the wonderful stories about Vladyka. Later, as I met more people who had personally known the Saint, my knowledge about him grew as did my love, when I was also allowed to experience his help.

  • Olesja Matskevich

    Olesya Matskevich
    (our interpreter and companion in Shanghai.)
    Some years ago I was in America and got to know about St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco. I wanted to know more about his biography and service and loved him very much. Later I moved to Shanghai, in that time I read, that one German director shot a documentary about St. John, and I offered my help to her. I want more people to know about his life and get acquainted with this great saint, who brings together people from various countries on every continent.

  • Michail Drosdov
    Mikhail Drosdov and his wife Aleksandra
    (Ouer support in Shanghai)
    Almost 20 years in Shanghai. The hobby of research about Russian Shanghai has being a part of my family life here and eventually has become a mission and a major idea of our stay in China. The exciting moments of St.John life in our city and his undeniable and life-changing influence on the life of Russian emigrants in China inspire me daily. St. John is our Shanghai bishop till now and our multinational Shanghai parish is blessed by his invisible presence.

  • Michail Drosdov
    Corinna Delkeskamp-Hayes
    Our proofreader for German and English, Cornelia Hayes / Corinna Delkeskamp-Hayes: My path into Orthodoxy was paved by my long-term scholarly friend and mentor H.T. Engelhardt, Jr. During his conference trips from Texas he used to work and “missionize” at our house. In Freiburg he chanced upon Johannes Sigel reading the hours. From him he learnt about the St. Spyridon Skete in Geilnau, which became my spiritual home. Because of this angel-function, I always agree to Johannes’ requests for help. This way I also got to know and venerate St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco.

  • Anna
    Anna Zhuravlova
    (Our interpreter and translator from Ukraine.)
    I thank God and the Mother of God for the opportunity to take part in this project. The humanity lives today in difficult times. Every day everyone of us has to do a choice. And I think that the life of the saints are the right examples for us, to make the right decisions.

  • Annete Glass

    Anna (Annette) Glass
    My motivation to help with his movie came from a desire to promote the knowledge of this saint who had a remarkable life of service to God and still responds to people who cry out for his help today.

  • Ekaterina Benevalenskaya

    Ekaterina Benevalenskaya
    is originally from Moscow, however in 2012 moved to Germany to continue her studies. She graduated from Munich Business School with a Bachelor Degree «International Business» with a specialization in Marketing and Media. Currently, she does her Master’s Degree, in Media-and-Communications Management.

    Ekaterina has been helping at the St. Job Monastery with the website content, when she had an opportunity to help Maria with the project.

  • Pavel Khudzakov

    Pavel Kudyakov
    Webmaster