Docudrama highlights faith of Emma Smith

Her life, her choices and her motives may have been second-guessed more

than those of any other woman in the history of The Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now filmmakers have sought to portray what

they say is Emma Smith's legacy of faith and perseverance in a new film

made primarily for her descendants but opening this weekend to the

public in area theaters.

"Emma Smith: My Story," which producers Mike Kennedy and Paul Savage

dubbed a "docudrama," premiered Wednesday at Jordan Commons for project

insiders and descendants of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith and his

wife, Emma. Many of them have only learned of their famous heritage in

recent years after being contacted by members of the Joseph Smith Jr.

and Emma Hale Smith Historical Society, which originated the yearlong

film project.

Producers said the film seeks to portray Emma Smith's joys and sorrows

as the wife of a man who declared that he talked with God and restored

true Christianity, resulting not only in the birth of a new faith but

also, ultimately, in his martyrdom. Events in early LDS history are

seen through her eyes — an approach filmmakers say will have wide

appeal, particularly to women who have admired Emma Smith but know

little about her.

They hope it also will draw men, who may be used to seeing films that

view events in LDS history from a male perspective. It chronicles

Emma's life from childhood (she was born in 1804) to the death of her

husband in 1844.