ON JANUARY 23 THE NATION GATHERED TO VIEW A CASE FOR LOVE IN 821 THEATERS. THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO SAY.
A CASE FOR LOVE is not just a movie you watch. It is a movie you feel. I felt myself tearing up as I heard ordinary people telling their stories of both hurt and generosity. I was moved and challenged by the realization of how much my actions can cause pain and create distance and feelings of exclusion, even when I believe I am well-intended. Although those were big feelings, my heart was truly shaken by the stories that hit close to home. Suddenly, I wasn’t just feeling for someone else, I was feeling with them. Their story told part of my story and a connection I was not expecting sprung across the divide and the stranger on the screen became someone I knew.
The range of life experience and thoughtfulness shared by those featured in the film affirmed and expanded my own perspective. It gave me hope that we can share our own unique stories and find commonality by embracing the unique stories of others with respect and curiosity. I am excited to bring A Case for Love and Brian Ide to our campus to spark conversations, especially among college students who need to see how valuable each and every one of them is to our community and that their voices are important part of the conversation.”
“I was blown away by A CASE FOR LOVE. As a leader in the national movement to bring Americans together, to inspire respectful conversation, and to build bridges across ideological and political divides, I found the film an utterly engaging, emotionally rich, vital reminder of the most powerful tool at our disposal: LOVE.”
– Kara Jarzynski, Executive Director, RESOLUTIOINARIES
“A CASE FOR LOVE reminds us that no matter who you are or where you are from, love and kindness is a thread that connects us all. We just have to be willing to choose it. Through wide-ranging interviews, the audience realizes that each of us is unique and has our own story to share. But it is the power of love and kindness which helps us overcome challenges, differences, and division.”
-Jaclyn Lindsey, Co-Founder & CEO of Kindness.org
“The dominant tone of social relations among us is one of fear. Now in this wondrous film, A CASE FOR LOVE, we have a compelling exhibit of a social practice that boldly contradicts the conventional practice of fear, scarcity, parsimony, and violence. A CASE FOR LOVE is a poignant documentation of the ways in which neighbors connect in generous ways with other neighbors across all the lines that divide us. This film is a welcome wake-up call among those who have too readily settled for an economy of fear. The makers of this film daringly bear witness to “a more excellent way” in the world.”
-Walter Brueggemann, Renowned Theologian
A CASE FOR LOVE is a fantastic film and we’d love to screen it here in Schenectady and then another time as well at Calumet Lutheran Ministries for a weekend I’m helping put together to discuss the role of the church in contrast to the rise of Christian nationalism.
A CASE FOR LOVE served as the foundation for the program at our Senior High Summer Camp session. The stories in the movie reso- nated deeply with the young people and evoked some very poignant conversations about the healing power of Love in their lives. As the dean of the program, I saw firsthand the creative power of this movie. I highly recommend it as a resource for young people.
A CASE FOR LOVE is a moving documentary about the necessity of love, grace, and redemption in a time of division. It’s an ideal film for any church group or for those needing hope in this troubled time. Director Brian Ide does an excellent job of lifting up stories that we all need to hear.
American Baptists are a national denomination comprised of ethnically and political diverse congregations. Since 2013 we have held these “Mission Summit Conversations” to promote respect and dialogue among our American Baptist leaders. We believe that this film would be a tremendous launching pad for our small group conversations that will follow the viewing of the film. This is a tremendous film that I believe will enhance the lives of many of our American Baptist leaders.
We can hardly wait to host A CASE FOR LOVE and a conversation with Bishop Michael Curry and filmmaker Brian Ide. In a time when fear and darkness pervade too much of our discourse, this film reminds us that love permeates our culture, we just have to seek out and share stories of light. WIth Brian Ide as our guide and Bishop Curry as our inspiration, we know this evening will transform our community for good.
-Rev. Jonathan Page, Senior Minister, Wellesley Hills Congregational Church
“We are using the film to launch our Social Justice Week here at Kent. We’ve been doing Social Justice week for years, and this year our theme is: Love is Justice. We’ll show the movie on Monday, January 20th (morning and afternoon showing to half the community). The other half of the day will include student led SJ workshops. Then on Tuesday we’ll gather in small groups to discuss the movie. I’m really excited about this part. Seeing the movie will be great, of course, but discussing it will help the students pull the abstract into their now. I hope students envision ways to put love into action in their own lives, from small acts of kindness in community to larger service projects beyond our gates. We will be discussing love the whole week (evening forums, dorm service projects), so the conversations begun with the film and in Advisory will keep growing and evolving.”
-Rev. Dr. Kate Kelderman, Dean of the Chapel, Kent School
A CASE FOR LOVE is not just a movie you watch. It is a movie you feel. I felt myself tearing up as I heard ordinary people telling their stories and both hurt and generosity. I was moved and challenged by the realization of how much my action can cause pain and create distance and feeling of exclusion, even when I believe I am well intended. Although those were big feelings, my heart was truly shaken by the stories that hit close to home. Suddenly, I wasn’t just feeling for someone else, I was feeling with them. Their story told part of my story and a connection I was not expecting sprung across the divide and the stranger on the screen became someone I knew. ”
– Debbie Webb Blackburn, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Elder, Lead of Mission Team, New Hanover Presbyterian Church
“I admit I went to see A CASE FOR LOVE partly because I have a slight connection with the group that made it. However, the documentary was so rich, the stories so compelling and the “case for love” was made persuasively but with a full acknowledgment of how tough life can be, that I was blown away. I hope it gets shown much more widely.”
– Joanne L. on Rotten Tomatoes
“A CASE FOR LOVE is the film America and every American needs right now. Our society and personal relationships are being poisoned by polarization. The way out of this toxic vortex is curiosity, compassion, and seeing humanity in those unlike ourselves. In a word, love. The Case for Love is a hopeful rebellion against the deluge of division and hate. This film reminded me that love is alive, wide and deep, if only we stop to notice it. And that a good first place to look is in the mirror. The stories left me more curious, more open hearted, more inclined to selfless love.”
-Pearce Godwin, founder of Listen First Project, the collective impact leader for the bridging divides movement of 500+ organizations in the Listen First Coalition
“Sitting with my love in A CASE FOR LOVE—you may have saved a life. No joke it was sooo hard, but she said this gives her hope and she wants to find purpose. Then she looked at my mom and she said: I want to die every single day. This makes me think I can live. She felt seen…”
– Jen J
“Beautifully done with meaningful stories of human connection and love. I left A CASE FOR LOVE inspired and a little less weighed down by the heaviness we see in media. People are good and love is essential..”
– Emily A. on Rotten Tomatoes