Over 700 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and their friends and guests from all over Melbourne enjoyed a night out at the cinema last week. The event was the sold out local premiere of the movie 'Meet the Mormons'.
The movie examines the very diverse lives of six devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Filmed on location across the globe, the film takes viewers on a journey into the day-to-day realities of people living in the U.S., Costa Rica, Nepal and beyond.
From their individual passions to their daily struggles, each story paints a rich and unique picture, while challenging the stereotypes that surround the Mormon faith.
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Referring to perceptions that exist about the Church, one person who saw the film at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville in Melbourne’s inner west, said that, "Meet the Mormons was an absolute pleasure to watch.
"It gave me great insight to how others view us and our faith, and I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing what other Latter-day Saints go through, their journey and success in life, simply because of the way they live the gospel and ultimately knowing that our Saviour loves us."
Kelly-Anne Fulmizi, a school teacher originally from New Zealand now living in the Blackburn area, watched the movie at the Palace Cinema in Balwyn.
She said she loved the different aspects of Latter-day Saints' lives that were portrayed in the film and felt that she could relate to many of the themes that the film explored.
Kelly-Anne’s husband, Samuel, is a former Latter-day Saint missionary in Hong Kong. Samuel said he was particularly touched by the film’s portrayal of Dawn Armstrong’s mixed emotions as she said goodbye to her son, Anthony, as he departed to serve as a missionary in South Africa.
Melbourne has its own connection to this story. Elder Armstrong's missionary companion is Elder Tennant, from Melbourne’s south east.
A teenage guest at one of the Yarraville screenings was particularly touched by Dawn Armstrong’s story that highlighted the sacrifices that full-time missionaries and their families make.
Steven Bignell, a sales manager from Melbourne’s outer east, was impressed that the film emphasized that members of the Church can come from anywhere, from all walks and works of life and circumstances that see them draw on their Christian faith to face adversity and overcome struggles.
For any who missed the cinema screenings, "Meet the Mormons" will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in the coming weeks. It will also be available via a number of online digital providers including Google Play, Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox and Netflix in 2015.
The movie is showing in all visitor centers and historic sites of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.