Opening September 28, 2026
in theaters
Upcoming Screenings
The Story of a True American Hero
Synopsis
Augustus Tolton’s enslaved mother knows there’s only one way to save her family – she has to escape the slave-state of Missouri for freedom in Illinois. Slipping away in the dead of night, with three children in tow, she trudges 20 miles to the vast Mississippi River. In a leaky rowboat, with bullets from angry Confederate soldiers whizzing by her ears, Mama Tolton rows to freedom.
In the face of the shameful prejudice of the Church in America, young Augustus dreams of becoming a Catholic priest. His dream seems hopeless, yet against all odds he perseveres. Finally ordained in Rome, he returns home to serve people of all races as America’s first Black priest.
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 1h 18min
Release Date: Select screenings begin September 28
Genre: Drama
Directed and Written By
Leonardo and Patti Defilippis
Produced By
Eric Bredbenner
Why Tolton? Why now?
“We are so divided, and there is so much suspicion, fear and hatred in our culture. Father Tolton embraces Jesus’ words, ‘That they all may be one.’ ” – Leonardo Defilippis, Director of Tolton Movie
Making of the Film
The challenge for the filmed version of this gripping story was to give viewers a front-row seat at the theatrical performance.
The live production of Tolton: From Slave to Priest opened on November 5th, 2017 at the DuSable Black History Museum in Chicago and has since gone on to be performed for more than 75,000 people at 414 performances in 32 states.
Tolton is unique in that it incorporates an entire cast of characters, projected on a screen, who interact with actor Jim Coleman (Tolton) onstage. The soundtrack for the production incorporates the themes of traditional African American Spirituals, performed with passion by Elissa Sanders (Mama Tolton).
The characters on the screen are clearly part of the setting, but are also featured in close-ups, giving a cinematic quality to their conversations with Tolton on the stage. This story of a truly American hero illuminates a dark era of our history, but it also provides a message of hope and encouragement: that the Catholic Church is the church for all people.
Support the Tolton Movie
IT’S UP TO YOU to bring Tolton to audiences everywhere.
Help us bring Tolton to:
- Select Movie Theaters
- Streaming Platforms
- Broadcast Channels
- DVDs
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