More than 1,300 people are heading to the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ) this weekend in D.C. The three-day event coincides with the 25th anniversary of the murders of six Jesuit priests and two laywomen, killed in El Salvador on Nov. 16, 1989, by US-trained and funded Salvadoran military for their defense of the economically poor. On Saturday evening, Loyola Productions will premiere its documentary, "Blood in the Backyard," a compelling film about the political, religious, and economic environment in El Salvador that led to the brutal murders, and why the martyrs continue to matter today. The documentary team traveled to El Salvador, Washington, D.C., and New York to shoot interviews and record new information from friends of the martyrs, current and former ambassadors, Jesuit and lay scholars, and those continuing to work for justice in El Salvador.
After Saturday night's premiere, Loyola Productions plans to expand the film to reach a larger audience both in Catholic schools and parishes, but also in secular venues. For more about the film and Teach-In, watch the video below featuring interviews with Jesuit Fr. James Martin, "Blood in the Backyard" Executive Producer Jesuit Fr. Eddie Siebert, and director Erik Lohr.
