{"id":13421,"date":"2026-10-15T03:48:34","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T07:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/?p=13421"},"modified":"2026-10-15T03:48:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T07:48:34","slug":"at-the-mercy-of-faith-pviff-2026-finalist-13421-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/at-the-mercy-of-faith-pviff-2026-finalist-13421-2\/","title":{"rendered":"At the Mercy of Faith Joins PVIFF 2026 Finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Faith can be a source of strength, but what happens when the beliefs that once provided comfort are shaken by experiences that refuse to remain in the past?<\/p>\n

That question forms the foundation of At the Mercy of Faith<\/em>, a 23-minute, 34-second short film directed by Andrew Arguello and named an official finalist for the 2026 Peachtree Village International Film Festival<\/a> (PVIFF).<\/p>\n

Produced by Samuel Lee Taylor and Ly Taylor, the film follows a devout young preacher whose faith is shattered by a traumatic childhood tragedy. Years later, his efforts to rebuild his life are threatened by disturbing visions, supernatural warnings, and the return of unresolved guilt.<\/p>\n

The production joins the PVIFF finalist lineup ahead of the festival’s Nov. 5-8 gathering in Atlanta, where independent filmmakers will compete for recognition through professional judging and audience participation.<\/p>\n

When Faith Meets the Shadows of the Past<\/h2>\n

At the center of At the Mercy of Faith<\/em> is a man whose spiritual foundation was fundamentally altered by tragedy.<\/p>\n

As a young preacher, he once found direction through his faith. But a devastating childhood experience leaves him carrying emotional wounds that continue to shape his adult life.<\/p>\n

Determined to move forward, he attempts to establish a new sense of stability. Yet the past proves difficult to escape.<\/p>\n

Haunting visions and seemingly supernatural warnings begin intruding upon his present, forcing him to confront painful memories and feelings of guilt that have remained unresolved.<\/p>\n

As the disturbances intensify, the stakes extend beyond his personal struggle. His family becomes increasingly vulnerable to the consequences of a past he has never fully confronted.<\/p>\n

The film’s premise draws tension from the relationship between spiritual belief and psychological distress, using supernatural elements to explore questions of forgiveness, accountability and the lasting influence of childhood trauma.<\/p>\n

Rather than positioning faith and fear as opposing forces, the story brings them into the same emotional landscape, where the central character must determine whether confronting his past offers a path toward protecting those he loves.<\/p>\n

A Supernatural Story Grounded in Human Conflict<\/h2>\n

While supernatural warnings and haunting imagery help shape the film’s narrative, At the Mercy of Faith<\/em> also centers on recognizable human concerns.<\/p>\n

The burden of guilt, the difficulty of recovering from traumatic experiences and the responsibility of protecting one’s family provide the emotional foundation for the story.<\/p>\n

Its central conflict raises questions about the consequences of unresolved pain and the complicated relationship between personal belief and emotional healing.<\/p>\n

The premise also offers an exploration of how experiences from childhood can continue influencing adult relationships, decisions and perceptions of safety.<\/p>\n

Through its combination of spiritual themes and supernatural suspense, the production approaches familiar questions about redemption and reconciliation from a darker storytelling perspective.<\/p>\n

Meet the Filmmakers and Cast<\/h2>\n

Andrew Arguello directs At the Mercy of Faith<\/em>, with Samuel Lee Taylor and Ly Taylor serving as producers.<\/p>\n

The ensemble cast features David Gamble Jr., Dan Morrison, Ivan Woods, Gregory Klino, Sandra Dee Richardson, Kenneth Anglemire, Amaya Chapman, Quintin Vassel, Nick Josten and Krystal Lynn.<\/p>\n

With a runtime of 23 minutes and 34 seconds, the film uses the short-film format to explore a story involving faith, trauma, supernatural encounters and family relationships.<\/p>\n

Its selection as a PVIFF finalist places the project among the independent productions recognized for the festival’s 2026 competition.<\/p>\n

PVIFF Finalists Compete Through Judging and Audience Engagement<\/h2>\n

The 2026 Peachtree Village International Film Festival is incorporating professional judging and audience participation into its finalist evaluation process.<\/p>\n

Under the festival’s announced scoring structure, 70% of each finalist’s overall competition score will come from evaluations by judges representing PVIFF and JaroGO<\/a>. The remaining 30% will be determined by audience engagement through the JaroGO streaming platform.<\/p>\n

Participating finalist films will be available on JaroGO during a limited competition viewing period, giving audiences an opportunity to watch, rate and comment on the selected productions.<\/p>\n

The initiative is designed to provide independent filmmakers with additional visibility while extending the festival experience beyond traditional theatrical screenings.<\/p>\n

JaroGO is available on iOS and Android in the United States and Canada.<\/p>\n

About the 2026 Peachtree Village International Film Festival<\/h2>\n

Founded in 2005, the Peachtree Village International Film Festival has developed into a platform connecting independent filmmakers, actors, producers, writers and entertainment professionals with audiences and industry opportunities.<\/p>\n

Operating under its guiding philosophy, “It Takes a Village,” PVIFF combines film screenings and awards with professional development opportunities, industry panels, masterclasses and networking experiences.<\/p>\n

The 2026 festival will take place Nov. 5-8 in Atlanta, Georgia, continuing its commitment to supporting independent voices and expanding access within the entertainment industry.<\/p>\n

At the Mercy of Faith<\/em> enters this year’s competition as an official finalist, with award results to be determined through the festival’s judging and audience-engagement process.<\/p>\n

For additional information about PVIFF 2026, visit https:\/\/www.pviffatl.com\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Film at a Glance<\/h2>\n

\"Official<\/p>\n

Title:<\/strong> At the Mercy of Faith<\/p>\n

Director:<\/strong> Andrew Arguello<\/p>\n

Producers:<\/strong> Samuel Lee Taylor, Ly Taylor<\/p>\n

Cast:<\/strong> David Gamble Jr., Dan Morrison, Ivan Woods, Gregory Klino, Sandra Dee Richardson, Kenneth Anglemire, Amaya Chapman, Quintin Vassel, Nick Josten, Krystal Lynn<\/p>\n

Runtime:<\/strong> 23 minutes, 34 seconds<\/p>\n

Festival Status:<\/strong> Official Finalist \u2014 PVIFF 2026<\/p>\n

Festival Dates:<\/strong> Nov. 5-8, 2026<\/p>\n

Festival Location:<\/strong> Atlanta, Georgia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Directed by Andrew Arguello, the 23-minute short follows a preacher haunted by childhood trauma, supernatural warnings and a past that threatens his family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":13422,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[1807,1806,1795,1808,1809],"class_list":["post-13421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-tv","tag-andrew-arguello","tag-at-the-mercy-of-faith","tag-pviff-2026","tag-samuel-lee-taylor","tag-supernatural-thriller"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13421"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13426,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13421\/revisions\/13426"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}