8: The Mormon Proposition (2010)

Documentary centering around the role of the LDS Church in the passage of Proposition 8, a 2008 referendum amending the California state constitution so as to bar the legal recognition of same sex marriages in that state. Some may dispute the use of the term documentary in describing this production, as it is in fact an expose on Mormon involvement in Prop 8, as well as of a general and continuing history of anti homosexual teaching, feeling and action in said religious body. The film references the Church's involvement in efforts to prevent the legal recognition of same sex marriage in Hawaii in the 1990's as a sort of template upon which subsequent anti-homosexual marriage rights campaigns (such as Prop 8) were based, surprisingly Mormon involvement in defeating the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970's and 80's is never mentioned. The film does make the point that Mormon opposition to same sex marriage has certain distinctive theological implications lacking in say Catholic or Evangelical religious objections to the practice. The film dose a good job of using the words of church leaders, both public and in a vast collection of internal memos, emails, ect. obtained by an investigative reporter featured in the film. It is pointed out that the Church intentionally sought to emphasis its self as only part of a wider organized coalition opposed to same sex marriage, despite its members shouldering most of the leadership and financial commitment to the efforts in California. The end of the film loses some of its primary focus and ventures into related side issues of homeless gay Mormon teens in Utah, electro-shock aversion therapy practiced on gay BYU students in the 1970's, and some rather 'indelicately phrased' rhetoric from a Mormon anti-gay activist, a Utah state senator, and of course the late Bruce R. McConkie. Film is one sided, but informative, and a good compact presentation given the breadth of material it covers in 80 minutes. Film could spawn many an interesting conversation, so recommended.