Jul 17, 2019

Sisters at the heart of true crime documentary to attend Women Texas Film Festival

Where There is Darkness will be screened at the Women Texas Film Festival this August with special guests in attendance.

Since completion last fall, the feature length docudrama by Stella Mar Films has been shown at festivals worldwide and has won over 30 awards.

Following the story of Fr. Rene Robert, a beloved Florida priest who went missing from St. Augustine in 2016, the film combines archive footage, re-enactments and eyewitness accounts to document the nationwide manhunt.

The film celebrates the Fr. Rene’s beautiful ministry with the poor communities of St. Augustine, whilst investigating the dark childhood of Steven Murray, the man who kidnapped him.

Documenting the search for Fr. Rene and a series of twisting revelations, the film culminates in the discovery of a 20-year-old letter in which the priest seems to predict his fate and forgive Steven.

The filmmakers soon found that Fr. Rene was not the only victim in this story, and after a series of startling discoveries, they knew that the misery of the Murray family’s story needed to be told.

Bobbie Jean Murray and Crystal Murray – Steven’s sisters – were at the heart of the criminal investigation and through working with the police, and later with Stella Mar Films, they were finally given a voice and were able to tell the story of their abusive childhood.

Women Texas Film Festival strives to ‘celebrate women,’ and the events, panels and program revolve around community and partnership. Moved by the power of Bobbie Jean and Crystal’s story, the festival have asked the sisters to attend the screening as special guests in August.

Since the events of 2016, the sister’s lives have changed and they have travelled to various screenings throughout the states to present the film to different audiences.

They even joined the filmmakers on a trip to Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina and surprised a group of pilgrims at a Where There is Darkness movie night.

The film has triggered turning points in each of the sisters’ lives and has allowed them to begin to heal from the suffering of their childhood and build a better life for their families.

The filmmakers are very excited to have their film shown at such a special event and are delighted that Bobbie Jean and Crystal continue to grow in confidence with telling their story.

WHAT: Where There Is Darkness at Women Texas Film Festival, with special guests Bobbie Jean and Crystal.

WHEN: August 15 - 18.

WHERE: Dallas, Texas.

Ticket information can be found at womentff.org.

WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS TRAILER