Guest Blogger – Robin Truesdale

The Show Me Justice Film Festival’s guest blogger series continues with a post by filmmaker Robin Truesdale focusing on the three activist nuns at the heart of the documentary Conviction.

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Three activist nuns are the subjects of, Conviction, a documentary that delves into faith, activism, and the U.S. justice system.

I didn’t meet these extraordinary women until after I had edited Conviction, a 53-minute film that highlights their Colorado action against nuclear proliferation and their subsequent trial in a federal court. The nuns were each sentenced to between 31 and 40 months for obstructing national defense and damaging government property. So, as our filmmaking team worked to bring their story to the world, the nuns were behind bars.

At our film’s premiere in Denver, I was finally able to come face to face with Jackie Hudson, Carol Gilbert, and Ardeth Platte. Each had recently finished serving their sentences. Their big smiles and warm hugs communicated their gratitude for our work, and it was clear that prison had not diminished their dedication to non-violent resistance.

Now, nearly a decade later, the two surviving nuns continue to practice active resistance to war. Jackie Hudson passed away in 2011, having devoted her 76 years to education and anti-war activism. Ardeth and Carol remain committed to civil disobedience and will be in Warrensburg during the festival to share insight about their life’s work – activism that often lands them in prison.

I hope you’ll take the opportunity to meet them during the festival! Engage these well-educated women with debate and discussion. You’ll find that they will offer their very informed opinions without an argumentative tone, but listen fairly and debate with love. What a gift, and an example for us all!

 

-Robin Truesdale, Editor and Co-Producer of Conviction