8: The Mormon Proposition

In 2008, California voters were asked to weigh in on Proposition 8, a ballot measure that would amend the state constitution to specify that marriage was legal only between a man and a woman, effectively ending the drive to bring gay marriage to California. Proposition 8 was passed, the first time California voters had agreed to limit civil rights by law, and among its most vocal supporters were members of the Church of Jesus Christ and Later-Day Saints, better known as the Mormons. Mormon groups contributed $22 million to advertising campaigns against Prop 8, and some Mormon activists took part in inflammatory disinformation campaigns about the possible effects of making gay marriage legal. Filmmakers Reed Cowan and Steven Greenstreet examine the role of the Mormon church in the battle against same-sex marriage in the documentary 8: The Mormon Proposition, as well as examining Mormon doctrine on homosexuality (including church-approved programs to "cure" homosexuality), suicide rates among gay teens in Mormon communities, and misleading comments from Mormon leaders on the impact of Prop 8 on religious freedoms. 8: The Mormon Proposition received its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide