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6 July 2023

REBEL HEARTS

2021 / 99 mins / USA / English

In 1960s Los Angeles, a trailblazing group of nuns, The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, bravely stood up to the patriarchy of the Catholic Church, fighting for equality, their livelihoods, and their own freedom against an all-powerful Cardinal who sought to keep them in their place. Their bold acts of faith, defiance and activism turned the Church upside down, helping to reshape our society in ways that continue to resonate today. From marching in Selma in 1965 to the Women’s March in 2018, they challenged the notion of what a nun and a woman were supposed to be.

These unlikely resistance fighters, including Anita Caspary, Helen Kelley, Pat Reif and iconic pop artist Corita Kent, were devoted to a life of service, not only to others but to themselves - forming a community that empowered each sister to live up to her fullest potential. Their desire to bring the church into modern life was met with forceful opposition at every turn. As each of them discovered their own talents and voices, they fully stepped into their roles as leaders in a movement that is still making waves.

In an interview with POV Magazine, director Pedro Kos explains the film's relevance today: "We were not making a film about the ’60s. We were making a film about now. What the IHMs fought for in the ’60s—to be a part of the world, to change the world, to be this force for good, and to empower women in power—we need to do that work now. This film is not a checkmark. We can’t let people off the hook because there’s a lot of work to be done. It really is a film about change and how change happens. It is a meditation on that. The IHMs continue to go to Nogales and to the [Mexican/American] border. They continue to march for women’s rights. Rosa took part in the Black Lives Matter marches. As Lenore says in the film, 'A movement is a movement and by definition it keeps going.'"

DIRECTOR
Pedro Kos

WRITERS
Shawnee Isaac Smith
Erin Barnett
Pedro Kos

PRODUCERS
Shawnee Isaac-Smith
Judy Korin
Kira Carstensen

WHERE TO WATCH
Discovery+ (stream)
Amazon (rent/buy)
Apple TV (rent/buy)
Google Play (rent/buy)

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