aGLIFF Presents: 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION
Monday, July 12th, 7:40pm
Rated R; 80min; Director:Reed Cowan & Steven Greenstreet
Location: Alamo South Lamar
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“An outstanding and urgent example of the investigative documentary, Reed Cowan’s 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION is all the scarier for its straightforward presentation of how the Mormon Church succeeded in getting California’s Proposition 8 on the ballot in 2008 and then getting it passed. As an exposé, there could hardly be a stronger case for ensuring and strengthening the separation of church and state — or a stronger message to gay people as to the magnitude of the challenge to win equal rights.”
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
“Cowan, a gay Mormon himself, deftly melds facts with emotions, alternating between a history of the church’s anti-gay drive and interviews with those directly affected by it. No matter what your stand is on gay marriage, you’re bound to come out with a broader definition of family values.”
New York Daily News
“Cowan strikes a potent balance between heart and head, juxtaposing emotionally wrenching moments…with self-damning portraits of Mormon politicians and church officials, and hard-nosed journalism.”
Ernest Hardy, Village Voice
In fall of 2008, when much of the world was celebrating Sarah Palin’s defeat and the election of the hope-maker from the Mid-West, the great state of California was shamed by the passage of its now-infamous Proposition 8, a law that repealed an earlier State Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. In the wake of this terrible vote, a 52%-48% split, one surprising factor seemed to be the subject of many whispers and hisses: the Mormon church.
It turns out, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which makes up a scant 2% of Californians, raised over 71% of the funds for the initiative to pass Proposition 8. The religious group centered in Utah chose this state-level political issue to wage a campaign against homosexuals and their equal rights.
The new documentary, 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION, exposes the inappropriate and hateful role the Mormon Church had on California’s Proposition 8. Further, the film examines how the church’s project of suppressing homosexuals has led to great turmoil, prompting, among other things, Utah to have the highest suicide rate in the country.
