In a bold cinematic gamble that’s already sparking heated debate, first-time scripted feature director Lotfy Nathan brings the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas to the screen with The Carpenter’s Son. Starring Nicolas Cage, FKA Twigs, and Noah Jupe, the film reimagines the “missing years” of Jesus’ childhood—not as serene Nativity scenes, but as a tense, supernatural family drama set in Roman Egypt. Hiding from Herod’s decree, a carpenter (Cage), his wife (Twigs), and their enigmatic son—known only as “the Boy” (Jupe)—face unraveling secrets as the child’s terrifying powers awaken.
Nathan, previously known for the Arabic-language drama Hala and documentary work, sat down with AMFM’s Paul Salfen to discuss the film’s origins, its delicate dance with faith, and why Nicolas Cage was the perfect collaborator for uncharted terrain.
From Apocrypha to Screen: Discovering the “Brutal” Infancy Gospel
Paul Salfen: The film is loosely inspired by the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a text most people have never heard of. What drew you to it?
Lotfy Nathan: I wasn’t familiar with it either until a few years ago when someone showed me an old copy. These apocryphal gospels were written around the same time as the New Testament but didn’t make the canon. The Infancy Gospel reads like a laundry list of events—short, brutal vignettes of a child Jesus doing things that are… let’s say, not Sunday school material.
What struck me was the gap: the New Testament skips from the Nativity to age 12. Growing up Coptic Christian, I’d always wondered about those years. Seeing this text, I thought, “There’s a movie here.” Not to sensationalize, but to meditate on what it means to raise a child who might be more than human.
Nicolas Cage: Sincerity in the Supernatural
Salfen: Cage has tackled everything from vampires to biblical epics. What was it like bringing him into this?
Nathan: Nick watched Hala in full, subtitled, before we even met. He could tell the intention wasn’t salacious—it was exploratory. He approaches roles with this fearless sincerity, especially when the material is risky. We had long conversations about the story’s intent: not to mock faith, but to humanize the Holy Family. Their vulnerability, their fear, their love. He got that immediately.
Building a World on a Budget: The Magic of the Set
Salfen: You’ve called this your first period film. Any “pinch me” moments on set?
Nathan: Walking into the Holy Family’s home for the first time. Production designer John Vincent Puzo built this immersive village in Egypt with very limited resources. Stepping inside that house—dusty, lived-in, ancient—I thought, This is it. This is how I saw it in my head. For a documentary guy making his first scripted feature, that was pure magic.
Why No Names? The Carpenter, the Mother, the Boy
Salfen: The characters aren’t named Jesus, Mary, Joseph. Why the anonymity?
Nathan: It evolved organically. Early drafts had names, but as I narrowed the scope—focusing on this obscure, protected moment in their lives—it felt right to strip them away. “The Carpenter,” “the Mother,” “the Boy,” “the Stranger”—it keeps the story mythic but grounded. It’s less about who they are in scripture and more about what they’re experiencing as a family under siege.
Advice for Young Filmmakers: “Pick Something and Stick With It”
Salfen: What’s your advice to aspiring directors tackling bold, personal stories?
Nathan: I’m still figuring it out, but: pick something and stick with it. Writing, developing, getting a film off the ground—it’s a slog. You’ll pivot a thousand times. Also, eliminate non-starters. If a scene requires a $10 million explosion, rewrite it. Be ruthless about what’s actually makeable. Resourcefulness is everything.
The Hail Mary Moment: Betting on the Unknown
Salfen: This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Hail Mary pass. What was your Hail Mary moment?
Nathan: Writing this script. I came from documentaries. Jumping into a period supernatural drama about Jesus’ childhood? Total shot in the dark. But something clicked when I read the apocrypha. I thought, If I don’t try this, I’ll regret it. So I went for it.
What Nathan Hopes Audiences Take Away
Salfen: Some will see this and react before watching. What do you hope people do take from it?
Nathan: I’m not asking anyone to abandon their beliefs. But I hope they’ll engage with Christianity as a human story. The Holy Family wasn’t perfect—they were afraid, conflicted, protective. What does it mean to love a child who might destroy you? To fear what you’re raising? I want people to find where their own moral compass intersects with these ancient teachings.
What’s Next?
Salfen: After this, what’s on the horizon?
Nathan: Can’t say yet, but something’s brewing. Stay tuned.
The Carpenter’s Son is a film that dares to ask uncomfortable questions—not to provoke for provocation’s sake, but to illuminate the shadows of a story we thought we knew. As Nathan puts it, “It’s about reconciling today’s attitude with Christianity.” Whether you approach it with faith, skepticism, or curiosity, one thing is certain: this is a conversation starter.
In theaters soon. Prepare to talk.
