The movement to win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples was an extraordinary 40-year journey, leading up to the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2015 that brought marriage equality to the United States. The triumph in court marked a victory for gay and lesbian couples and their loved ones, for our country in its fulfillment of American ideals, and for the campaign that drove the strategy and achieved an epic transformation in hearts and minds, and then the law.
 
This remarkable journey has been documented in the inspiring full-length feature film entitled Freedom To Marry, recently produced and released by Eddie Rosenstein and Eyepop Productions. Critics and audiences are raving about this film as the inside, nail-biting, untold story of how marriage equality became law of the land. The film follows Freedom to Marry founder Evan Wolfson, the architect of the movement, and his key colleagues, including Mary Bonauto, who argued the case before the U.S. Supreme Court, through the decades-long battle, culminating in the dramatic victory at the U.S. Supreme Court. The movie has received critical acclaim and many awards that include: Three Rivers Film Festival, DOC NYC, NCGLFF, Savannah Film Festival, Frameline 40, and others. Reviews include: The Boston Globe called the film "Moving and inspirational."The San Francisco Bay Times called it "Forceful and moving" and other reviews include "Exhilarating" and "Keeps you on the edge of your seat." Here's the link to the film's trailer: https://vimeo.com/199402939 .
 
Most important, the documentary has been embraced by many movements and countries, seeing in it a source of inspiration and instruction on how to win. It has been shown to inspire activists in Australia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Israel, Japan, and, at a screening at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China – to name a few – and here in the U.S., by immigration rights, gun control, environmental, and, of course, LGBT organizations continuing the work.
 
The film will be shown for the first time in the Coachella Valley in the evening of Jan. 20, 2018 at a special premier event at the Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs. The film’s ticketing was done through word-of-mouth by local LGBTQ organizations, and social media alerts to the general public. There is no cost for tickets, no fundraising at the event, and everyone is invited. Students from the local Gay-Straight Alliance groups and from the College of the Desert were also given tickets. In just days, the event became near sold-out, and a second performance may be scheduled to handle all the people hoping to see the film. Those wanting to see the film need to act quickly while tickets are still available.
 
Evan Wolfson will be coming to Palm Springs from his home in New York City to speak at the event. Evan Wolfson said, “I am delighted to be part of the presentation of theFreedom To Marry film to the Coachella Valley community. In these difficult times, it is a pleasure to bring an uplifting story of how people can change America through focus, perseverance and hard-work.”
 
Evan will be joined by Misha Isaak who is General Counsel to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and who litigated and won marriage equality for Oregon. Also joining as a speaker will be Palm Springs Councilmember Geoff Kors, who was on the national board of Freedom To Marry. The wonderful Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus will also perform at the event.
 
The event is hosted by the Richard Norris Weissman Trust as a gift to the community by local Palm Springs residents Rich Weissman and his husband J.D. Horn. For further information for tickets (tickets are free), go to: 
https://palm-springs-freedom-to-marry.eventbrite.com