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Amish Grace (2010)
Release Date:
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

MPAA Rating:
NR

Genre:
Drama

Starring:
Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Tammy Blanchard, Matt Letscher, Fay Masterson, Madison Mason, Amy Sloan, Darcy Rose Byrnes, Karley Scott Collins, Gary Graham, Eugene Byrd, Madison Davenport

Director:
Gregg Champion

Synopsis:
Based on a true story and the book Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy by Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher, Amish Grace chronicles the community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, forever changed when a gunman senselessly takes the lives of five girls in a schoolhouse shooting before taking his own life in October of 2006. What transpires takes the town by storm, as the media descend on the city and criticize its Amish leaders for their notion of unconditional forgiveness and their outreach of support to the gunman’s widow. Through the eyes of a grieving mother, Ida Graber (Kimberly Williams-Paisley; Father of the Bride films, “According to Jim”), and other devastated families, the film explores the Amish community’s astonishing reaction of compassion to the horrific events that shook their town and tested their faith.

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Did You Know?
Greg Wright

Content Image
One of the friendly publicists who keep us well stocked with product to review -- and we are indeed grateful! -- has some interesting facts to pass along about the Amish. Are you curious? Read on...
  • Almost all Amish people speak English, but in the home they mostly speak Pennsylvania German, commonly known as Pennsylvania Dutch. The language is closest to what outsiders would consider to be German, but it is known as Dutch to acknowledge the conglomeration of Germanic languages that are used in the vocabulary.
  • Celery is an important part of the Amish wedding. Not only is it used in Amish casserole, a traditional wedding food, but it is also used as decoration. Rather than using flowers, the Amish put celery stalks in vases around the wedding party tables.
  • Many Amish men grow beards, but not mustaches. Beards are acceptable because they are mentioned in the Bible and are the mark of an adult man. However mustaches are not acceptable because in the past they were worn by military men, and as pacifists the Amish did not approve of their own adopting the look.
  • Rumspringa, or in other words 'running around', is an important time in an Amish person's life. It refers to the years around adolescence before the teen goes through their second baptism or leaves the church. Traditions and discipline are somewhat relaxed during this time as even the Amish accept that young people will be rebellious, but not to an extreme extent despite myths to the contrary.
  • The Amish do not believe in personal decoration, but rather plainness in manner and dress. Black and white are the most common colors, any others that are worn will dark or muted. Capes, aprons and hats are also worn and may signify a person's age and marital status.
  • Family, and the familial unit, is extremely important in Amish culture. Many families will have half a dozen children or more, and while children attend school until grade eight, education is highly stressed inside the home as well.
  • Most technology is shunned by the Amish, particular those of the older orders, because it can become a distraction and create distance between family members. However, those that are more accepting of modern advances will use telephones that are shared between multiple families and are kept outside of the home.
  • The Amish pay taxes on things like real estate and income, but not Social Security because they do not collect benefits like unemployment. They also do not have institutions like retirement or nursing homes because they believe in taking care of their own, no matter the expense or time required.

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