Gun Debate Documentary to be Screened in Chatham

CHATHAM – A documentary film that takes an in-depth look at the national gun debate will be screened Tuesday evening in Chatham.

The Cape Cod Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense is sponsoring the free showing of “Under the Gun.”

The organization’s local group leader Margie Mahrdt says the film examines the lives of people directly influenced by gun violence and the gun debate.

“It profiles some of the survivors of mass shootings but also individual families from Chicago where gun violence is a daily occurrence,” she said. “It really is a comprehensive picture of sides of the gun debate and those who are influenced by it.”

The film also profiles citizens in Washington state who worked towards passing a ballot initiative in 2014.

The film, which was produced by Katie Kouric, will be screened at the Chatham Unitarian Universalist Meeting House at 7 p.m.

The film is rated R for strong language including a crude reference.

“Under the Gun” was the winner of a People’s Choice Award at the 2016 Boulder International Film Festival.

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense was started as a Facebook page after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut in December of 2012. The organization has grown to over 4 million members with chapters in every state.

“We work towards really changing the culture,” Mahrdt said. “We have national campaigns for universal background checks and within the state chapters we work at local legislation.”

The group has also run corporate campaigns and have asked large corporations like Target, Panera Bread, Trader Joes and Facebook to put in place policy to not allow visitors to carry firearms in their businesses, regardless of state law.

“We don’t want to see people open carrying in stores and restaurants and so forth,” Mahrdt said.

A trailer for “Under the Gun” can be seen below.

By BRIAN MERCHANT CapeCod.com NewsCenter