On Monday, Sept. 16, Mary B. Martin School for the Arts showed filmmaker Linda Midgett’s documentary “Same God” as part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers.
Dr. Larycia Hawkins was a former political science professor at Wheaton College in Illinois, and she was the first tenured African American professor. Hawkins decided to show “embodied solidarity” by making a Facebook post wearing a hijab in support of Muslim women. Midgett’s film follows the life of Hawkins during and after she is suspended from the college. The film engages in theological discussion, as well poses questions about the intersection of politics and religion.
Following the film, Midgett mentioned that this film could have not premiered at a better time in the United States.
“I personally find her model and her message of embodied solidarity to be incredibly hopeful and something that we can all hang onto right now,” Midgett said. “I think we need it now more than ever.”
According to Midgett, during the filming process, there were many obstacles they had to overcome in order to get the content they needed.
“I would’ve gone with anything they would have given me,” Midgett said. “They in no way cooperated with that, nor did they ever allow me to film on campus. The footage that you see from campus, I stood on the sidewalk with my cameraman and sent a drone over the top of the university because that’s public airspace. … Some of the footage you see on campus is actually footage that students shot.”
At the conclusion of the film, Midgett answered questions from the audience, followed by a reception.
“I am really pleased with the level of engagement from the audience,” Midgett said. “I thought they had great questions that made me feel like they really got the film and were moved by it and were grappling with the issues. That’s really all I can kind of ask for as a filmmaker.”
Midgett hopes that after seeing this film, students will feel inspired to stand in their own ways for what is right.
“A film like ‘Same God’ that is about solidarity and trying to show a way forward. … It’s your generation that is going to do it. It’s not going to be us old people; it’s going to be you guys. I think you need models and stories to help inspire and instruct on what to do. I hope that this [film] is that,” Midgett said.
The next Southern Circuit film “Wrestle” will be shown at Ball Hall auditorium Monday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.
To keep up with the newest developments on Midgett’s film, visit samegodfilm.com/.
