Our Sundance Film Festival Experience

Dear All,

Just thought you might like to know a bit about our experience in Park City, UT. We arrived a day early, but the producers graciously arranged for us to have a place to sleep both Tuesday night, Jan. 23 and we were allowed to stay an extra night, Jan. 27.

Tuesday night was the “For The Bible Tells Me So” party. We had 2 floors and a VIP area of a restaurant. We were honored to be among other families featured in the film, in addition to all the producers and directors. Daniel Karslake was the number one Producer and Director of the film. He’s the wonderful man who did all our interviews. What a sweetheart and so sensitive. We met Bishop Gene Robinson from New Hampshire, and reconnected with Mel White, the Reitan family who we know well from Soulforce, and another acquaintance of 6 years ago, Rev. Steve Kindle who started “Clergy United.” The Dick Gephardt family had been there earlier in the week and left before we arrived.

Wednesday afternoon, an extra showing of the film was added and screened in Salt Lake City. That was our first viewing of the film. We were blown away. Dan sat next to us and held my hand when the picture of Anna that the coroner took after her death was shown.

The next screening was at the Library Centre Theater in Park City on Thursday afternoon, with about 450 people there to view the film. There were a number of Fuller Theological Seminary students there, along with their professor who invited us to come to a forum on Friday morning and be part of a panel with Mel White. These conservative Christians asked some great questions and were overall very supportive.

The third screening we saw was Friday night at 11:30 p.m. (groan…for us old folks). It, too, was sold out, as were all of the 6 screenings.

No awards were given to our film but we were featured on the Paula Zahn Show on Thursday night, Jan. 25. I was not part of the clips they showed. I think the horror of suicide is sometimes just too much for the media to embrace.

We shared the 5-bedroom condo in Park City with 3 of the executive producers of the film, Helen Mendoza, Robin Voss, and Bob Greenbaum. What a fascinating group of people!!!

WHAT NEXT???? Well, there are at least 3 distributors that are interested in purchasing the film, but there are no “offers on the table” yet. Also, Dan has received offers from Film Festivals worldwide to screen the film: Cannes, France; Venice and Rome, Italy; Tribeca in New York City, and others.

So we wait and see what plan God has for this film. It is extremely well done, VERY fast-paced, not a second of boredom in this 103 minute film. It is our belief that this film needs to be seen by the world…with the hope and prayer that it will STOP the spiritual violence against God’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender children.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us. We were wined and dined and stopped on the street by people who thanked us for our contribution. The 10th anniversary of Anna’s suicide is February 28, 2007. We can think of no greater way to honor her life and death than to have this film screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Thanks so much to all of you who helped make this trip possible.

With our great love and appreciation,
Bob and Mary Lou