This film is part of Take Action Day: Repairing the World One Film at a Time on July 29th. The daylong film line up embodies the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam - which suggests humanity's shared responsibility to heal, repair and transform the world. This day will screen films in collaboration with local organizations to inspire action on the issues presented in the films.
What’s the definition of a mensch? After watching this inspiring documentary, you’ll have a two-word answer: Evan Wolfson. Founder of the advocacy group Freedom to Marry and the acknowledged “godfather” of the marriage equality movement, Wolfson’s 30-year struggle to bring about justice for millions of gays and lesbians is at the heart of this fascinating history retracing the circuitous (some said impossible) path toward legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States. Friends and family say Wolfson developed his passion for social justice early during his Jewish upbringing in Pittsburgh. But even though he laid out the legal reasoning behind same-sex marriage equality as far back as his 1983 Harvard Law School thesis, the documentary rightly gives others in addition to Wolfson credit for the successes of a movement that took decades and involved many tireless champions. His co-star in the film, and the person who had to nervously argue last year’s famous Obergefell v. Hodges case before the Supreme Court, is Mary Bonauto of GLAD (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders), an equally compelling subject in a documentary which, even though we already know the outcome, manages to be gripping and suspenseful right down to the moment of the court’s decision.
—Peter L. Stein
Director Eddie Rosenstien and Producer Jenni Olson in person.