By Jamie Aten
Monday marks four years since nine members of a black church were shot to death by a white supremacist in Charleston, S.C., setting off a national debate about gun violence. A new documentary about the massacre does not explicitly address gun violence or gun policy, but the powerful stories told by the survivors allow viewers to consider the implications and draw their own conclusions.
“Emanuel,” in theaters nationwide Monday and Wednesday, focuses on the victims’ surviving family members, who stood in court just 48 hours after the shooting and offered forgiveness to the gunman, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, a self-professed white supremacist. Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis and NBA superstar Stephen Curry served as executive producers of the film, which explores the untold stories after the June 17, 2015, shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.