Rory Feek on ‘Josephine’ Premiere: ‘I’ve Always Wanted to Make Movies’
Rory Feek makes his directorial debut with a brand-new film Josephine, which premiered at the Nashville Film Festival on Thursday night (April 14), and the singer-songwriter reveals it's the realization of a long-held dream.
Feek was one-half of Joey + Rory until the death of his wife and singing partner, Joey Martin Feek, in March after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Josephine was inspired by real-life events that also inspired a song from one of the duo's albums, and at the premiere Thursday, Rory shared the long journey toward completing the film.
"I’ve always wanted to make movies, and I’ve just been watching for an opportunity,” Feek tells The Boot. “When Aaron and I started writing the script and it came to life, like a song, you just get a sense that this character needs to happen, that this story needs to be told."
"We just started praying and hoping that the doors would open, and they opened as we walked through," he adds. "We’ve learned so much, and we’ve met so many incredible people, and they’ve all been on this journey with us."
The movie is set during the Civil War and tells the story of a woman who poses as a man and enlists in the Army to try to find her missing husband. Feek directed, co-wrote and edited the movie, which was co-written and produced by Joey + Rory’s manager, Aaron Carnahan.
Feek told the crowd Thursday night that the film had Joey's full support, and he thanked them for their own support of the film, as well as Joey + Rory's music.
"A lot of people see my wife and I’s life as the very perfect love story, but nothing is perfect. We’ve had our struggles, just like everyone has their struggles," he says. "We have a very strong faith, and it has helped us through to where we are right now. But part of what’s been important to us is to be real in our lives, and real in our faith, so when it came time to make a movie, it was important that we be real in our storytelling, and we have tried our best to be as authentic as possible."
Loretta Lynn and Gillian Welch contributed songs to the soundtrack for Josephine, and Joey Feek sings its final track, "Amazing Grace." The film is set for two more screenings during the 2016 Nashville Film Festival, on April 21 at 6:30PM and April 23 at 2PM. For more information, visit the Film Festival’s official website.
Rory announced in January that he did not plan to continue performing in public after Joey passed away. Josephine is his first professional endeavor since she died, and he has also talked of the possibility of writing a book. He's also been settling into life as a single father to his and Joey's 2-year-old daughter, Indiana, who has Down syndrome and recently started pre-school.
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See Photos From Joey Feek's Memorial Service