A feature-length documentary produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to challenge stereotypes about Mormons is being shown in cinemas and Church meetinghouses in 25 countries in Europe this coming May. The film premiered in the United States last October.
The new feature film tells the stories of six diverse Church members and their families: Col. Gail Halvorsen (Ret.), the man known as ‘the candy bomber’ during the Berlin Airlift in the 1940s; engineer and humanitarian Bishnu Adhikari, who is originally from Nepal; Ken Niumatalolo, the head football coach of the U.S. Naval Academy; Carolina Muñoz Marin, an amateur kickboxer from Costa Rica who runs a charity with her husband; Jermaine Sullivan, an academic counsellor and bishop in Atlanta, Georgia; and Utah missionary mum Dawn Armstrong.
- 'Meet the Mormons' movie premiere
- At the 'Meet the Mormons' premiere
- The cast of "Meet the Mormons" at the film premiere
- The Sullivans with Neon Trees drummer Elaine Bradley at 'Meet the Mormons' premiere
- 'Meet the Mormons' premiere in Utah, USA
- 'Meet the Mormons' premiere
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“There is something for everyone,” said Blair Treu, director of the film that was originally planned in 2010 as a replacement for the movie in the Church’s Legacy Theater on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Filming from production to editing took three years to complete.
“This is an opportunity for us to tell our own story,” explained Treu, who felt strongly that the film should be a documentary that reflects the global Church instead of a narrative production. “I think that it will dispel common misconceptions and myths that people hold about us.”
Treu is excited to share the varied backgrounds of the cast with audiences. “It’s a film at its core that illustrates we respect people of all faiths.”
“One of the other things that the film clearly illustrates is though they come from different backgrounds, they don’t have to abandon their culture to become [a Latter-day Saint],” said Treu.
“It’s breaking new ground,” said Church leader Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles about the release of ‘Meet the Mormons’. “It’s an effort to increase understanding, not to proselytise.” Elder Holland explained the movie was moved to the big screen because “the film was so successful with test audiences.”
‘Meet the Mormons’ will be showing in various towns and cities throughout the month of May. Audiences of every background are invited to attend.