Alabama icon Lilly Ledbetter's story hits theaters nationwide
The film "Lilly," which tells the story of equal pay activist Lilly Ledbetter, opens in movie theaters across the country Friday, highlighting her decade-long legal battle for fair wages.
Writer and director Rachel Feldman first contacted Ledbetter 15 years ago to make her story into a feature film, and despite the long journey, both Feldman and Ledbetter were proud of the final product.
Ledbetter's daughter, Vickie Saxon, expressed excitement about the film's release, saying, "The feedback has been wonderful in the film festivals. And I'm very excited for the release in the theaters coming up on May 9 in several theaters across the country."
The major motion picture details Ledbetter's legal fight at the Goodyear plant in Gadsden during the late 1990s. The film has been shown at various film festivals and special screenings since last fall, including a sold-out world premiere at the Hamptons Film Festival, just days before Ledbetter passed away at the age of 86.
Feldman described the premiere experience as thrilling, saying, "There wasn't one empty seat in the theater. And it's just thrilling for a filmmaker to sit there and hear the laughing, the crying, the shouting, the reacting, and then the standing ovations."
Award-winning actress Patricia Clarkson stars as Lilly Ledbetter, portraying her as a multifaceted individual. Saxon said, "Patricia Clarkson actually portrays the whole person. So, you get to see my mother as a mom. You get to see her raising her family. You get to see the compassion that she had in her life."
Jacksonville State University, a place dear to Ledbetter, hosted a screening and panel discussion in April.
"Jacksonville State University was a very special place to my mom, and she loved JSU. She lived in Jacksonville, Alabama, most of her life," Saxon said.
Emily Duncan, ROC Projects Director, noted the local interest in the film, saying, "People are curious because so much of the film takes place here in Jacksonville and they knew Lilly and they were curious as to how they were telling that story that they knew pretty well."
"So of course, we compressed characters, and we compressed time zones, and we compressed events, but we tried very hard to stay true to the reality and the issues and the circumstances of her case," Feldman said, explaining the creative process.
Both Saxon and Feldman emphasized the film's message of courage and perseverance.
"Any ordinary Alabama Grandma can do extraordinary things, and that's the message of the movie," Feldman said.
"Most people see either themselves or a mom or a sister or something in that story, and it's very relatable," Saxon said.
Ledbetter's lesson of perseverance is now preserved in film, inspiring audiences across the country.
You can see a special screening of the film featuring a Q&A with Lanier Isom author of Grace and Grit, the book the movie is based on, at Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema on Friday, May 9 at 6 p.m and Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available .