''Emanuel'' is a 2019

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...

directed by Brian Tetsuro Ivie about the

Charleston church shooting On June 17, 2015, a mass shooting occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine African Americans were killed during a Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Among those people who were killed was the senior past ...

that killed nine Emanuel AME church members in an act of terror. Stephen Curry and

Viola Davis Viola Davis (; born August 11, 1965) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, she is the only African-American to achieve the Triple Crow ...

are executive producers;

Mariska Hargitay Mariska Magdolna Hargitay (; born January 23, 1964) is an American actress, director and philanthropist. The daughter of bodybuilder and actor Mickey Hargitay and actress Jayne Mansfield, her accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award, a People's ...

is a co-producer. ''Emanuel'' first received critical acclaim at the 2018

Geena Davis Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis (born January 21, 1956) is an American actor

’

Bentonville Film Festival The Bentonville Film Festival (BFF) is an American film festival held annually in Bentonville, Arkansas that focuses on diversity. Foundation Bentonville Film Festival was founded by actress Geena Davis and ARC Entertainment executive Trevor ...

, where it won the Jury Prize for Best Documentary. The film also won the Heartland International Film Festival audience choice award. Emanuel’s limited theatrical release opened June 17, 2019—exactly four years after the shootings.

Synopsis

After 21-year-old white supremacist

Dylann Roof Dylann Storm Roof (born April 3, 1994) is an American white supremacist, neo-Nazi, and mass murderer convicted of perpetrating the Charleston church shooting on June 17, 2015, in the U.S. state of South Carolina. During a Bible study at Emanue ...

opened fire during a prayer service in a

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

church, nine African Americans were killed. Forty-eight hours later, the families of the

Emanuel Nine On June 17, 2015, a mass shooting occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine African Americans were killed during a Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Among those people who were killed was the senior past ...

stood in court facing the killer and offered words of forgiveness. Featuring interviews with survivors and family members, the documentary examines the history of race relations in Charleston, the significance and impact of

Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church The Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, often referred to as Mother Emanuel, is a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 1817, Emanuel AME is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal church in the Southern United States. This, ...

, and the effect on the community from the offered forgiveness.

Production

When director Brian Tetsuro Ivie first heard of the Charleston church shooting, he knew it was a story he wanted to tell. But he also wanted to give the families time to heal. A year later, he began filming the movie in Charleston, with interviews conducted at Emanuel AME Church and the homes of victims’ families, among other locations.

Distribution

In January, 2020, the film made its television debut on

Starz Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consist ...

, in conjunction with the

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

holiday. The film was later released free to the public for a two-week window beginning on June 2, 2020 to encourage education on racial injustice.

Themes

Justice, faith, peace and forgiveness are key themes throughout the documentary.

Impact

The producers of Emanuel are donating their profits from the film to the survivors of the shooting and the families of the victims.

References

External links

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