How the Utah Film Jane and Emma is Creating New Bonds and Friendships Between Major Organizations

This article about the film Jane and Emma is presented by Excel Entertainment.

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Media has shared much about the success of the unlikely friendship between Jane Manning, a free-born black woman and Emma Hale Smith, the wife of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Society and cultural norms of 1840 precluded the notion that Emma should open her door wide and welcome Jane in as a complete equal.  But Emma did exactly that.  Such is the heralded story behind Jane and Emma, a new motion picture released in 21 Utah theaters last week that grossed nearly $100,000.

A New Friendship

Another newer friendship developed in 2018 was that between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), who met historically for the first time in May.  Following that meeting President Russell M. Nelson said, “Together, we invite all people, organizations, and governmental units to work with greater civility, eliminating prejudice of all kinds and focusing more on the many areas and interests that we all have in common. As we lead our people to work cooperatively, we will all achieve the respect, the regard, and blessings that God seeks for all His children.”

Donations and Film Goals

This friendship achieved a firmer grip last weekend when two gracious donors agreed early on opening day to match every box office dollar up to $40,000 brought in on the film Jane and Emma as a donation to the NAACP Salt Lake Branch.  The full match was met that first night and significantly aided in the nationwide headline that Jane and Emma was expected to exceed all other national films in per-screen average revenue.  The realization was significant–$4,800 per screen average.  This week the world’s three largest movie chains AMC, Cinemark and Regal are intensely watching Utah to see if Jane and Emma has the legs to stretch across the country.

The Film

And so the film Jane and Emma has a daunting but achievable goal this weekend.  If proceeds from week 2 meet that of the first week, expect to see Jane and Emma expand across the nation quickly, allowing the movie’s message to meet President Nelson’s invitation—that all will eliminate prejudice of all kinds and respect and regard all of God’s children.

About Jane and Emma

When Emma Smith opened her door and invited Jane Manning into her home and her life neither could have known that the incident would ever be known widely or set as an example of living like true children of God.  They simply made a quiet choice to accept and help and love one another in bright days and in deep trials. Emma Smith left little in writing, but Jane Manning James left a full autobiography.  This and other church records document the story of this friendship, a portion of which is contained in the new release of Saints: The Standard of Truth. Likewise, creators of Jane and Emma may never know the reach of friendship and love created by sharing this story.  “I get emotional about this movie,” Arthur VanWagenen, product director for film at Deseret Book and Excel Entertainment said, “The fundamental truth of the Church as I know it is that we are all alike unto God.  And that’s what this movie shares.”

Jane and Emma has expanded to 31 theaters in Utah.