Emanuel, a documentary about nine worshippers who were shot dead as they prayed at Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina is showing in theaters June 19. The emotional film shows what the power of forgiveness and love in the face of tragic loss looks like.
Basketball great Steph Curry (Unanimous Media), Oscar winner Viola Davis and husband Julius Tennon (JuVee Productions) served as executive producers of Emanuel. Brian Ivie (The Drop Box) directed while John Shepherd, Mike Wildt, and Dimas Salaberrios produced. Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) served as a co-producer.
Emanuel features interviews and clips with family members who lost loved ones on that fateful day, June 17, 2015 when Dylan Roof, the now 25 year old White supremacist walked into the historic Mother Emanuel AME Church and shot those nine innocent African Americans as they prayed to God.
The documentary also includes footage from news clips, poignant interviews with witnesses and people from the
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry attends the debut screening of “Emanuel”, a film about the 2015 mass shooting at the Charleston, S.C. Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and participates on panel at Cramton Auditorium of Howard University in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 23, 2019. (Photo by Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/The Players’ Tribune)
community as it explores the history of race relations in Charleston, South Carolina and this country.
A witness in the film said, “When we closed our eyes to pray, that’s when he lit up the room.” Another witness, who actually spoke to the killer and lived to tell said, “I was on the floor looking up at him from up under the table. He just stopped and said, ‘Did I shoot you yet?’ I said, no. And he said, ‘I’m not going to. I’m gonna let you leave you here to tell the story.’ “
On a personal note, I find myself struggling with the kind of forgiveness exhibited by the families and others in Charleston over this bloody tragedy because I lost my 19 year-old nephew Kendrick I. Woods to senseless gun violence December 2, 2017. And I’m still struggling with forgiving his killer, a young man also19 at the time, who sits in jail awaiting trial.
Just imagine, having enough love in your heart to forgive the person who murdered your loved one. Many might question if the families of the victims should forgive convicted killer Dylan Roof for his hate filled killing spree that took away irreplaceable mothers, father, daughters, sons, brothers and sisters.
This film is powerful enough to spark a nationwide discussion on race relations, the country’s original sin “slavery” – for which we still live with the remnants of over 400 years after its abolishment.
The most powerful take away from Emanuel forgiveness and the ability to allow love to conquer hate because love breeds life and hatred destroys it.
Emanuel is in limited release in select cities. If it is playing in your city, I urge you to go to the theater and see this thought provoking film.
Visit: www.emanuelmovie.com
Lin’s Star Rating (4 out of 5)
****
