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June 2, 2023

 

Dear Friends,

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It’s me, China, writing the update this month, instead of Barry Opper, the unflagging producer at the core of our production team.  

 

There is an end in sight.  Completing Resurrecting Love is energizing.  We have only $39,000 more to go. (65% of our initial goal to complete has been raised!)  Here’s our happy dilemma: we will be offering the premier screenings of the film at International Film Festivals starting in August of this year; however, the film must be finished by then.  The version we are showing right now has only temporary music, archival footage and sound effects.  We cannot have public screenings until we finalize sound, color and numerous legal requirements.  

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(By the way: we’re receiving musical support from the extraordinary, Grammy-nominated, internationally known blues singer and guitarist, Eric Bibb, working with us on original compositions and recording them for use in the film.)

 

These final tasks can only be done if we raise an additional $39,000 in tax-exempt donations.  I am delighted to be telling you that this will be it: this final funding will be bringing us home!

 

The Plan:  we’re on track to finish our documentary the first week of July and, to make that happen, people are hosting “Watch Parties”.  Our first ones last month immediately started generating donations and several more are being scheduled across the country now. 

 

Here’s one success story that demonstrates how these Watch Parties are working for us: 

 

One of our producers, Alexis Yancey, has a friend who is a retired CBS news Producer living in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.  This friend saw the movie at Alexis’ request, was greatly moved and wanted to know what she could do to help.  At our suggestion, she hosted a screening in her living room for some 15 people (it was pouring rain the night of the screening which prevented a few others from attending) and not only did each and every person there contribute to the finish of Resurrecting Love, two other Watch Parties are scheduled from those there. 

 

You can do it too.  Just ask us for a link to the full 76 minute version of the film so you can preview it.  Then, if you respond like so many others, let us know you want to host a screening for friends (click the "Contact Us" at the bottom of this note to do that).  All you need is your living room, a large screen and as many people as you can squeeze in. 

 

We'll send you screening instructions, discussion suggestions and talk you through the event.  

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Here is a recent trailer for the movie:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love Cemetery, the small, two-hundred year old African American cemetery in East Texas represents the endangered landscape of Black burial grounds all over the United States, graveyards that today are getting built over, cut up, covered by freeways and dividing neighborhoods.  With your help, we can offer our documentary on Love Cemetery to help stem the tide.  

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And please, if you can, help us get there yourself — you too can make a tax-exempt donation through our non-profit sponsor, Fractured Atlas.  

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you one and all for your phenomenal generosity!  

 

 

 

 

China Galland

Author Love Cemetery, Unburying the Secret History of Slaves (HarperOne, 2008)

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Ask us for a link to the film, ask questions, make comments.  We will answer you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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