Few protesters show at Sundance for '8: The Mormon Proposition' movie

PARK CITY — Despite rumored anti-gay protests, a Sundance Film Festival documentary about the Mormon Church's role in a 2008 California political battle over gay marriage played to a friendly audience on Sunday in Park City.

Only about two dozen gay marriage activists chanted — "Separate, church from 8" — in a parking lot outside the premiere of "8: The Mormon Proposition."

The film by Reed Cowan, a former Utah Mormon, contends that locally based The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the driving force behind Proposition 8. The ballot initiative reversed an earlier court decision that legalized gay marriage.

Before the screening, festival director John Cooper had said he expected a small, but loud, group of "haters," might picket the film, but doubted that Mormon Church members would be among them.

"It's not really the Mormon style," said Cooper, who is gay and married his partner of 20 years last year during the window between the court ruling and election day.

A Utah-based anti-gay equality group, America Forever, sent out 80,000 faxes on Friday denouncing the movie, its makers and the festival. Internet chatter among other anti-gay groups had also hinted they might come to Sundance, activist Eric Ethington said.

"They must be in church today," said Emily Pearson, one of the movie's producers.

LDS Church officials have consistently called for a polite, respectful dialogue on the issue. The church has actively fought gay marriage legislation across the United States since the early 1990s.

Mormon leaders, however, do not oppose limited rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, as long as those rights don't infringe on religious liberties. In the fall, the church backed a Salt Lake City ordinance that made it illegal to discriminate against LGBT individuals in housing and employment matters.

The movie made one movie-goer — Carolyne Simpson of San Diego — want to engage in a productive dialogue. Simpson, who isn't Mormon, said she supports gay marriage.

"What I come away with is that it might be interesting to go down and sit at the Mormon church and engage in a dialogue, and say, 'Tell me what you believe and here's what I believe,'" the 65-year-old said.

Last year at the urging of church leaders, Mormons donated tens of millions of dollars to the "Yes on 8" campaign and were among the most vigorous volunteers. After the vote, many gay rights advocates turned their anger toward the church.