A documentary about the trial that rocked the United Methodist Church
and the minister who risked it all for his gay son.
Why this film is important now
We now have marriage equality in all 50 States, but the U.S.'s 2nd largest protestant denomination is still sharply divided on this issue.
Full equality for the LGBTQ community cannot exist in the U.S. without the support of the Christian community. Laws may be passed that provide more rights and protections, but those rights will be routinely ignored in places where the community does not agree that LGBTQ citizens should be treated as equals under the law and under God. Just as the struggle for racial and gender equality made huge strides forward once they gained the support of influential religious communities – so will the LGBTQ movement.
We hope that this film will be a strategic and important tool used to elevate the conversation about LGBTQ rights in one of the most significant Christian denominations in the U.S. – the United Methodist Church.
What we want to do
Simply put, we want this film to reach as many Christian communities - liberal, conservative and everywhere in between - as possible. The conversation about LGBTQ rights within religious communities has often caused pain and division. With this film we hope to bring all sides together to see the human side of this debate though the stories of those who have had to deal with the real consequences of their community's stance on this issue.
The film premiered October 2015 at the 38th Annual Mill Valley Film Festival. Since then, it has had over 150 screenings at film festivals, United Methodist Churches, college campuses, theaters, and other venues, winning numerous awards and garnering critical acclaim. Most community screenings included a talk-back session after the film, where audience members could discuss the issues covered by the documentary.
Screeners of the film were sent to United Methodist Church delegates who participated in the 2016 General Conference. These decision-makers were able to view the film prior to voting on the UMC's policies related to LGBTQ inclusion. That debate will continue for years to come, now that the Church has created the "Commission on a Way Forward," which will meet until 2019.