| 8: The Mormon Proposition | |
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| Directed by | Reed Cowan Steven Greenstreet |
| Produced by | Reed Cowan Steven Greenstreet Bruce Bastian Christopher Reece-Volz Emily Pearson |
| Written by | Reed Cowan |
| Narrated by | Dustin Lance Black |
| Music by | Thomas Chase Nicholas Greer |
| Cinematography | Reed Cowan Steven Greenstreet Mark Barr Marian Eckley Todd Petersen Toby Quaranta Christopher Reece-Volz Richard Samuels Derrick Shore |
| Editing by | Steven Greenstreet Brian Bayerl John Paul Kinhart |
| Studio | David v. Goliath Films |
| Distributed by | Red Flag Releasing Wolfe Video (DVD) |
| Release date(s) | January 18, 2010 (Sundance) June 18, 2010 (US) |
| Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2.5 million |
| Box office | $100,280 |
8: The Mormon Proposition is an American documentary written by Reed Cowan, directed by Cowan and Steven Greenstreet, and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. The film documents The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' involvement in the 2008 California Proposition 8.[1] It was released on June 18, 2010 by Red Flag Releasing (RFR).
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Director Reed Cowan, who is a former Mormon missionary, "planned on making a film about gay teen homelessness and suicide in Utah, but switched his focus to Mormon ideology because of how it contributes to the homophobia that causes these problems".[2] The film focuses on the wealth and power of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and how the Church uses the National Organization for Marriage to advocate for denial of rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans. It states that Mormon leader Thomas S. Monson asked to ensure the passage of the controversial California Proposition 8. It also states that some homeless people in Utah are LGBT teens who were abandoned by their radical Mormon parents.
According to the New York Times, the film "uncovers the classified church documents and the largely concealed money trail of Mormon contributions that paid for a high-powered campaign to pass Proposition 8", noting that "Mormons raised an estimated $22 million for the cause."[3]
8: The Mormon Proposition premiered to sell-out audiences at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.[4] As "one of the buzzier documentaries to debut at Sundance",[5] the film was purchased for distribution by Warner Bros. executives Paul Federbush and Laura Kim in their break-out company, Red Flag Releasing. The film debuted to nationwide audiences June 18, 2010.[6] The film was released on DVD on July 13, 2010.[7]
When The Washington Post requested comment, the LDS church forwarded its official statement that said in part, "We have not seen '8: The Mormon Proposition.' However, judging from the trailer and background material online, it appears that accuracy and truth are rare commodities in this film. Although we have given many interviews on this topic, we had no desire to participate in something so obviously biased."[5]
The Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research, a Mormon apologetic group, has stated that "The film uses quotes that don't exist, misrepresents facts, and perpetuates false and degrading stereotypes about Mormons with same-sex attractions."[8]
Based on 24 reviews collected by the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 63% of critics gave 8: The Mormon Proposition a positive review, with an average rating of 6.0/10.[9]
The Village Voice noted "cheesy dramatic reenactments" and suggested some flaws, but then went on to say that "the flaws pale against what's illustrated, which is not just how Prop. 8 passed, but the sordid, cynical workings of our political machine."[10]
Michelle Orange of Movieline commented that "The opening impression — that the LDS acted villainously with regard to Prop 8 — will soon be supported by a raft of facts; that the Mormon church couldn’t have done it alone is a complication the film sidesteps almost completely."[11]
Newsweek called the film "messy and sometimes downright cheesy", but says that "at its best, which is only at the end, The Mormon Proposition reminds us—no, insists that we remember—that demonizing a group doesn’t make the world a better place."[12]
The Wall Street Journal noted that "as a spotlight on the suffering of same-sex couples and individuals who are rejected by family and church leaders, the film succeeds. Its critique of the church's recent political activism, however, is as ham-fisted as many of the mid-19th century allegations against the church."[13]
Sean Gandert of Paste Magazine notes that 8 "spends more time than it should on the faith’s general treatment of homosexuality, eventually drifting into an unpleasant streak of overt Mormon-bashing. The film also fails to take into account the many other factors in play during the 2008 election, narrowing events down to one all-encompassing Mormon-based explanation. 8 means well, but is too blinded by its own biases to do its cause justice."[14]
The San Francisco Chronicle notes that the film is "marred by loaded language and a propagandistic tone that undercuts rather than promotes its purposes." It concludes that "If you're in favor of same-sex marriage, the documentary isn't telling you something new. If you're against same-sex marriage, the documentary - despite sometimes touching shots of loving couples - won't convince you otherwise."[15]
In its opening weekend, the film grossed $42,566 in 16 theaters in the United States, averaging about $2,660 per venue, and ranking #48 at the box office.[16] The total gross of the film is $100,280.[17]