From Selma to Stonewall: Are We There Yet? is a compelling 2016 American documentary that weaves itself into the intriguing landscape of civil rights movements in the United States. A cross-country journey that mirrors heartfelt conversations between African American Civil Rights Reverend, Gilbert H. Caldwell, and LGBTQ activist Marilyn Bennett. Directed by Marilyn Bennett, the film strikes a delicate equilibrium between two civil rights battles, drawing a connection between the African American civil rights movement and the present LGBTQ civil rights movement.

The film, both directed and starring Marilyn Bennett, allows the audience to peek into the two divisive yet interconnected battles for human rights. The title itself holds weight; Selma, the city where Martin Luther King Jr lead civil rights marches, and Stonewall, the inn where the riots launched the LGBT movement in 1969.

The primary charm of From Selma to Stonewall: Are We There Yet? comes from the partnership of two unlikely allies: Gil Caldwell, a straight, African American civil rights veteran, and Marilyn Bennett, a white lesbian and LGBTQ+ rights advocate. Their conversations are the film's core, inviting its audience into dialogues on race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and more. The pair's friendship isn't free from disagreement, but their intellectual conflicts only strengthen their advocacy for equal rights.

Throughout the film, the audience embarks on a journey toward understanding the interconnectedness of struggles, just as the two friends do. We start from Selma, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights activists fought against racial discrimination, to rapidly shifting gears towards the Stonewall riots, which catalyzed the modern gay rights movement.

In its essence, the film takes the audience on a journey through historically significant civil rights landscapes in the United States. It takes us to places like Montgomery, Alabama, where the movement got its roots, and Atlantic City, which brought the Civil Rights Act into life.

The film also invokes the spirit of freedom when it navigates into the intersection of religion and civil rights issues. This becomes quite clear in the personal story of Gil Caldwell, a Methodist pastor, who shares a firsthand account of growing up in the tense climate of racial discrimination and later becoming a strong advocate for LGBT rights within his church.

Marilyn Bennett, an LGBTQ activist, and director connects her journey with the civil rights struggle. Her journey, though different in nature, still echoes the narrative of freedom and equality. It weaves both movements together, drawing on the inherent similarities between the struggles for Black American civil rights and those of the LGTBQ+ community.

From Selma to Stonewall: Are We There Yet? doesn’t not only aim to educate but to send out a powerful message of unity, equality, and shared struggle. It exhibits the importance and relevance of allyship across various movements and raises crucial issues that remain unsolved. The film is an echo of human rights struggles, reverberating the essence of humanity, inclusivity, and acceptance.

The strength of this film lies in the open dialogue about legislation, societal norms, personal experiences, prejudices, and an inherent call for human dignity and respect that transcends racial, religious, or sexual barriers. The documentary encourages us to look beyond our polarized societal views and work towards a more unified community, where everyone's rights are championed with equal fervor.

The question "Are we there yet?" lingers throughout the film reminding us about the undulating journey of human rights movements, where victories weave together with losses, hope intermingles with despair, and struggles pervade triumphs.

From Selma to Stonewall: Are We There Yet? offers a message of resilience, compassion, and a call-to-action for all those present in the societal sphere to look beyond the surface and question the progress of equity in our society. Overall, it is a thought-provoking documentary that showcases the shared struggles and triumphs in the quest for equal rights, making it a must-watch for anyone interested in civil rights movements and progressive societal change.