Beth Caulfield Reveals How Faith and Vulnerability Shaped Her New Film "Conceivable"

Beth Caulfield reveals the heart, faith, and courage behind her new film, Conceivable, a deeply personal story inspired by her own late-in-life pregnancy. The film follows a woman navigating the unexpected challenges and emotional complexities of unplanned pregnancy while in seminary, exploring faith, choice, and the diverse perspectives within her community. Drawing on her decades of experience in corporate leadership and ministry, Caulfield brings a unique perspective to faith-informed storytelling-blending vulnerability, authenticity, and theological nuance. Through Conceivable, she not only tells a compelling personal story but also mentors the next generation of women filmmakers in bringing their own meaningful stories to life. 

Q: Your journey spans corporate leadership, ministry, and now filmmaking. How have these different chapters of your life uniquely shaped your approach to storytelling in Conceivable?

Great question. These chapters definitely built on one another, even though I did not fully recognize it along the way.

In the corporate world my expertise was in human resources leadership, with specialties in employee relations and interaction with the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). I worked with employees from the executive level to the manufacturing floor, helping them navigate the organization and realize their potential. I was privileged to be told many stories of people's journeys, hopes and dreams. Sometimes I was involved in investigations to discover underlying stories. I then formed and told stories advocating for employees and the organizations I represented.

In many ways I believe those years especially grew my interpersonal skills for absorbing, processing and forming stories. I learned to really listen, ask good questions and take genuine interest in the stories of others. Those experiences also grew my compassion for others. The business management skills I acquired were also invaluable to the storytelling, especially as I learned about budgeting and time management.

As a minister, I have focused on helping others to connect to the "greatest story ever told" by sharing stories of the Bible, Christian tradition, history, current events and personal experience. For my preaching, teaching and writing I work to connect these resources to people's understanding and hearts to move them to love, hope, healing and positive action. I spend much time in prayer and studying Scripture for this role. Because of this, ministry has honed my ability to reach hearts as I myself become a better channel for God's Spirit.

Also ministry is often done with little to no budget. Being sensitive to those restraints yet having a business background that gave me better understanding of financial tools, unleashed more creativity for storytelling and making projects in community with others and with modest finances.

Bringing those skills to independent filmmaking has given me a strong base to add the powerful tools that filmmaking offers for storytelling. The many forms of visual arts involved, dialogue, and sound design are means to enriching the storytelling and absorption experiences for the audiences. This offers greater resources to help penetrate hearts with the Christ-centered messages I share.

Filmmaking is also the greatest team-effort environment I have ever experienced for storytelling. As a director, incorporating the storytelling crafts, talents and visions of actors and those of the crew during all phases of production expands the creative possibilities and complexities of storytelling. As a producer working with modest budgets, my previous experiences have prepared and again lent me better financial management skills and storytelling skills to potential investors. Continuing to learn and sharpen these craft tools are wonderful gifts that I treasure.

Q: The film draws from your own experience of a late-in-life pregnancy while in seminary. How did you navigate balancing personal vulnerability with creative distance in bringing such an intimate story to the screen?

I think the key was recognizing the goal was first to tell a great story. In seeking that story, I spent much time contemplating the most important messages and feelings I wanted to convey. I then focused on my own story, thinking through and capturing every detail that happened and that felt important to me. I really pressed into conveying my own experience.

Once I had this base, I went back to the core messages I wanted to convey and fleshed out my story, letting go of some of it, pressing into the most vulnerable parts that needed to be exposed and then allowing creativity to enhance the story to better reflect the messages I wanted to convey. This process allowed me to enjoy both sharing my personal experience in a raw and authentic way and at the same time gave me creative freedom that helped me feel less exposed as I completed the script.

When the rest of the team got involved, their creativity added greatly to the process. New depths, vulnerabilities and enhancements were brought to the story. That said, there were moments during the filming when I became very emotional as I saw personal moments brought back to life on screen. I treasure that experience.

Q: Conceivable is described as "faith-informed" rather than a traditional faith-based film. How do you see that distinction, and why was it important for you to tell this story with nuance rather than overt messaging?

One of the core aims of the film is to expose and explore the diversity of thought, theology, and even controversy on many issues brought out in the film, especially around unplanned pregnancy. Even within faith traditions and communities, opinions vary. My goal is to honestly show how a person of faith experiences, considers and responds to that diversity.

The film shows doing so with an openness to learning from others and not demonizing varied thought or spiritual maturity. The film demonstrates how a person of faith can seek God for wisdom and critical decision making and then invites the audience to reflect and converse on the topics and views shown. In essence the film is "faith-informed" by showing how a person of faith responds to life's complexities. A similar term that also applies to the films I make is "faith forward."

Q: You entered filmmaking after 50 and as one of the few women directors in the faith-informed space. What unique challenges-and advantages-have you experienced in carving out this role?

With few exceptions, women independent filmmakers are just beginning to successfully break into the faith-informed space. The industry is very relationally-focused and has been dominated by male artists and businessmen from its beginnings. So being embraced and finding opportunity continues to be a challenge for women, and especially for those like myself who have not come up from working within the genre or really from the film world at all.

But as I am experiencing, there is a strong interest from audiences for more stories told by women about women. Our lenses bring depths to the authenticity, vulnerability and connection to our stories that men cannot do for us. My lengthier life and storytelling experience are advantages as they inform my filmmaking. They bring richness and wisdom.

The industry is also quickly changing with new developments and challenges within its technologies, business and audience preferences. This means that a newcomer like me is not necessarily at a disadvantage. I bring freshness to working with these changes as I learn and anticipate them with everyone else. I believe it is an advantage to not be tethered to former approaches that no longer apply well to today's market.

Q: Your daughter Camille Joy plays a key role in the film, and Jana Lee Hamblin co-directed with you. What was it like blending family and collaboration into the creative process?

Those opportunities added to the film production experiences for me for sure and enhanced the movie overall. Jana's ample experience as an acting coach and teacher are what drew me to asking her to co-direct the film. She taught me so much and really brought her own creative voice and perspective in both in her acting and directing roles. Through that she really made the film so much better. I appreciated her dedication to and heart for the project and so trust built quickly between us. We also enjoyed working together and remain friends.

Camille's involvement was special as the baby the film portrays is based on her. Having her involved helped her understand the story and helped me stay sensitive and appreciative to her point of view. It was a comfort having her there. She worked well with Jana who usually took the lead in directing her. Ultimately it brought us all closer.

Q: Beyond Conceivable, you're building a network to mentor emerging filmmakers, particularly women and faith-informed voices. What gaps do you see in the current film industry, and how do you hope your work will help change the landscape?

I have four main ministry objectives that carry over into my church leadership role.

1. To make faith-inspiring films that do not shy away from authentic portrayals of the complexities of faith and theological diversity.

2. To incorporate and model faith leadership in the filmmaking process.

3. To encourage the Church to foster and support Christians in utilizing their creative gifts and passions in the film and television industry.

4. To teach, mentor, and help network those called into such roles. I approach all of these objectives with a particular heart for women.

To achieve them, currently I speak publicly and informally on my experience, projects and goals, especially to Church leadership and groups. I have a book being published by Abundance Books in 2026 that will detail my behind-the-scenes experience in the making of Conceivable. It will include the director's cut of the original screenplay. It will be a tool for teaching others about faith-inspired filmmaking.

Ultimately I hope to help bridge the current gaps between traditional churches and faith films, as currently, except for the Church providing a significant part of the audience, the two operate fairly independently. I hope to bring more collaboration as I am firmly entrenched in both spaces.

 

 

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