Forgiveness: Stories for Our Time

The recipient of the "Best Mid-Length Documentary" award at the 2007 Hot Docs International Film Festival, Johanna Lynn's probing meditation on the human capacity for forgiveness follows four courageous people on their remarkable journeys of loss, grief, and anger. The impact of violence on individuals and communities is undeniable, but what of the people who choose to forgive the people who took their loved ones from them rather than seeking revenge? All too often, the news is filled with stories of personal and political violence. But while these sensationalistic stories serve well to sell papers and fuel ratings, their proliferation can cause us to become desensitized we forget that real people's lives are being destroyed. Anne Marie Hagen, Lesley Parrott, Alan McBride, and Reverend Julie Nicholson all lost loved ones to violence. They're only beginning the painful and complex recovery process, and the first step towards healing is forgiveness. But how do you forgive someone who killed a member of your family? Perhaps by resisting the lust for revenge and embracing the very people who hurt them the most, these four brave souls can prevent the ripple of violence from expanding and causing even more misery.