Richie James Follin found inspiration for Crystal Cross through God and ice cream.

      Richie James Follin, the director, writer, and co-star of the ethereal film Crystal Cross, initially began his career as a musician but soon found himself learning the art of filmmaking from top professionals.

      “My music career is deeply intertwined with film,” explains Follin, whose debut feature premiered at the Waco Independent Film Festival on Thursday. “After finishing high school, I released an album with my band The Willowz. Not long after, Michel Gondry approached me to use my music in his film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He even directed a music video for our song ‘I Wonder,’ where I was the focus of his direction. It doesn’t get any closer than that.”

      He soon observed various filmmakers create music videos for his songs, including Hiro Murai, who co-directed the video for The Willowz' “What’s Wrong Is Right.”

      Crystal Cross features numerous remarkable musical sequences, along with its comedic, dramatic, and romantic elements. The film follows two almost strangers on a journey across the United States: Rubyrose Hill stars as Dotty, a troubled Christian singer who clings to James (Follin) because she reminds him of Jesus. This leads her to accompany him on a trip to Los Angeles, where they bond over music, culminating in a profound moment in a recording booth at Third Man Records.

      We spoke with Follin, who was raised Christian in Southern California, about how music influences his filmmaking, casting his co-star in unexpected ways, and resembling Jesus.

      Richie James Follin and Rubyrose Hill in Crystal Cross.

      MovieMaker: Can you explain how your musical background aids you as a filmmaker?

      Richie James Follin: Crystal Cross is fundamentally a musical, so it really benefited this specific film! Overall, I believe that being a musician contributes to filmmaking by helping recognize the rhythm of dialogue and editing, as well as understanding how music enhances the emotional impact of a scene and the film as a whole.

      MovieMaker: What inspired you to create Crystal Cross?

      Richie James Follin: My experiences touring the U.S. as a musician. Growing up Christian and how that shapes life decisions long after childhood. Themes of suicidal thoughts. Approaching love, loss, and grief through comedy.

      Regarding films that inspired Crystal Cross… there are many road trip films: Badlands, Paper Moon, Little Miss Sunshine, Paris, Texas, Wild at Heart, Two Lane Blacktop, My Own Private Idaho, Bonnie and Clyde… The Wizard of Oz. Also, many films featuring difficult odd-couple characters: Buffalo 66, Five Easy Pieces, Bottle Rocket, Midnight Cowboy, Days of Being Wild.

      On the faith side: Mean Streets was significant. The romantic films: Before Sunrise, Modern Romance, Harold and Maude, Eternal Sunshine.

      Films exploring addiction or mental illness: Leaving Las Vegas, The Lost Weekend, A Woman Under the Influence.

      And obviously music films: Nashville, A Star is Born, Walk the Line, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Little Shop of Horrors.

      It’s tough to make an indie film without being inspired by Godard; my favorite of his works is Vivre sa vie.

      Richie James Follin and Rubyrose Hill in Crystal Cross.

      MovieMaker: How did you decide to take on the lead role, and how did you discover your incredible co-star, Rubyrose Hill?

      Richie James Follin: The short answer is that I didn’t have the budget to hire anyone for my part, and there was no extra space in the car. Many of my favorite films feature the director as the lead. It allows for directing from within the scene, and they influence each other. This is more common in music, where one musician assumes multiple roles to achieve a cohesive vision. That said, I appreciate how collaborative filmmaking can be. My editor, Peter Hagan, played a crucial role in refining the story with voiceovers and chapters to condense it to 88 minutes; the original cut was four hours long.

      I initially filmed the first act with my girlfriend as the lead, who was fantastic, but everything unraveled with crew and budget issues, forcing me to halt the shoot. Then she became pregnant, so she could no longer participate. I started connecting with the Manson girls from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to cast Dotty, and through these meetings, I recognized that Crystal Cross could evolve into a larger production than I'd originally envisioned. I was in a punk DIY mindset, aiming to shoot on my iPhone and complete something—good or bad—but these actresses had just finished a substantial two-year project with Quentin Tarantino. Ultimately, one of them dropped out right before shooting, and during a moment of disappointment, I took my daughter out for ice cream. At the ice cream shop in Los Feliz, I met Rubyrose Hill. We clicked, and I noticed on her Instagram that she had done an impression of Ruth from the Netflix