Hi, my name
is Savannah,
AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE
In May 2017, twelve-year-old Savannah
attempted to come out as a lesbian to her church congregation.
She was silenced
Hi, my name is Savannah, is a virtual reality reimagining of this moment, in which she is given the space to speak her truth.
Presenting
Savannah
Director Carol Dalrymple
Producer Marissa Lila
Director of Photography Dane Christensen
Gaffer/Key Grip Holly Tuckett
Stitching/Compositing Artist Susan Weeks
Music by Nami Melumad
An Edge of Discovery Production
Synopsis
“I want to share my testimony with you.”
On a Sunday in May, 2017, at a Church of Latter Day Saints in a small town in Utah, twelve year old Savannah began her testimony with these words. She had planned an offering of inclusive, joyful honesty to her congregation. Her intent was to come out as a lesbian, and share that - despite the LDS's Church’s official position concerning the LGBTQ community - she felt loved by God, unashamed, and confident in her dreams to one day have a partner and family like so many others in the room.
On that Sunday, she was not permitted to finish her testimony. Three quarters of the way through her story, her microphone was abruptly cut off and she was told by a church authority to stop talking, and sit down.
Archival video of that moment went viral.
Hi, my name is Savannah, is that morning reimagined, innovatively recreated fusing past and present using virtual reality filmmaking, rewriting the moment such that Savannah is given the space to finish her testimony.
