“Paper Gems tells the stories that don’t get told often. I wanted to weave God all up in it. Like, I want God to be one of the main fabrics in this blanket, but I don’t want it to be a slap-you-in-the-face type of thing. Some Christian movies tend to be cheesy,” Arango explains, elaborating on the inspiration behind the film’s themes.

For Arango, the movie represents God’s vision for her, even when she couldn’t see it for herself. “I knew I wanted to make movies, but I really didn’t want to move to California like most East Coast film majors,” she says. After numerous job rejections post-graduation, Arango became frustrated. “I was applying for a bunch of jobs with qualifications—I’ve been doing freelance work since I was in middle school. But I wasn’t hearing back from anyone,” she recalls.

Things began to turn around when a family friend informed Arango about a position for Director of Media at The Perfecting Church, a South Jersey congregation. After speaking with Pastor Kevin Brown, she applied and secured the job. “I’ve been a Christian and very involved in church my whole life,” Arango shares.

In her role, Arango oversees photography, videography, and manages the church’s social media accounts. The church boasts nearly 2,000 members and live-streams its services to over 200 viewers every Sunday. Initially, the position was a challenge, but Arango eventually found her rhythm. “After a while, I thought, now I want to make movies again,” she says, as her passion for filmmaking reignited.

In pursuit of her dream, Arango competed on a reality TV show for influencers, where contestants aimed to shoot a movie. She made it to the final round before being cut. “I thought, God, this is my moment—then I got cut,” she explains. Despondent after the loss, Arango’s work at the church began to suffer. “I started to decline in my work here at the church,” she admits.

However, a conversation with Pastor Brown reignited her faith and drive. “Pastor Kevin, he’s really in tune with all of us. We all have a close relationship,” Arango says. Brown even extended the church’s support to help her make a film. “What is your dream? We’ll do it as a church,” Pastor Brown recalls telling her. Arango didn’t have a script ready but seized the opportunity anyway. “I didn’t want to lose an opportunity being handed to me!” she exclaims.

With the church’s help, Arango assembled a crew, many of whom were church members, and cast roles by posting an ad on Backstage, an online casting platform. “I worked mainly as the cameraman for the movie, I also helped with the clean-up crew and even made a cameo!” says Sheraund Malloy, a member of the church who volunteered to help bring Paper Gems to life.

“Production was fun, long days, hard work, and reshooting, but it was fun! I learned a lot, and it was amazing seeing Christianna work up close. She’s young, but she is very knowledgeable!” Malloy adds.

The community’s support extended beyond the church walls, with local connections allowing the crew to block off streets for filming and gain access to Jefferson Hospital’s ICU for a scene. After shooting throughout the summer of 2022, the film premiered on July 11th, 2023 at Regal UA in Washington Township.

“We had ticket sales, an email list, and a trailer that we played on our website and social media pages!” Pastor Brown shares enthusiastically. The film was a success, with viewers praising its relatable and thought-provoking content. “It took my breath away!” says Josiah West, who attended the premiere. “It talked about topics that most people shy away from, but some of them I related to. It was inspired by God.”