By Susan Gately - 20 April, 2018
Standing ovation greets premier of movie about Irish missionary nun who died in earthquake.
A powerful movie about the life of an Irish nun who died in an earthquake in Equador premiered in Derry on Monday to a rapturous response. All or Nothing tells the story of Sr Clare Crockett, who entered the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother in 2001, aged 18.
From 2006 she lived in their communities in Spain, the USA and Ecuador. She died during an earthquake in Playa Prieta, Ecuador on 16 April 2016.
The movie premier took place in the town of her birth – Derry (at the at Brunswick Moviebowl) – on the second anniversary of her death. At the end there was a standing ovation. Two days later, such was the demand to see the movie, that three additional screenings had to be laid on in the 300-seater theatre. By the end of the day, over 1,000 people had watched All or Nothing.
Speaking to CatholicIreland.net, the editor of the movie Sr Kristen Gardner, who is American but based in Spain, said that it was a moving experience to see how well the movie was received in Derry. “Above all what moves me is to see how Sr Clare’s story is able to touch so many hearts and I think being here in Derry was especially beautiful to see how she can bring so much hope to the young people.”
Clare Crockett had always wanted to be a great Hollywood actress. Aged 14, she began to land acting roles, hosting a Nickelodeon programme at 16. But even when she landed a small role in a feature film, she was not happy. “Neither success, nor fame, nor human love could fill me. I knew that only by doing what God wanted could I be truly happy,” she recounted. Following a greater call, she entered religious life.
At the premier on Monday evening, the Servant Sisters spoke briefly before and after the movie, and then invited others to come up to give testimonies. “But most people were crying afterwards so it was hard for them to speak. It was really emotional,” said Sr Kristen.
On Tuesday (17 April), the Sisters showed the movie at Sr Clare Crockett’s secondary school and addressed the students afterwards. On Wednesday (18 April), a further screening at the Brunswick Moviebowl sold out immediately, causing the manager to lay on a total of four screenings – two at 4.00pm and two more at 6.00pm. The first three screenings were completely full.
All or Nothing was entirely produced by the Servant Sisters, who began collecting video and other archive material of Sr Clare from the summer of 2016. Then they interviewed over 100 people, and in July 2017, Sr Kristen began editing the film. An Irish nun from Sligo, Sr Karen, wrote the music. It took Sr Kristen, who has produced shorter documentaries for the order’s small TV channel in Spain, six months to edit All or Nothing.
Demand is high for the movie, which is available on request from https://www.sisterclare.com. By last Sunday, there were over 300 requests for it, but Sr Kristen believes “a lot more have arrived this week with the premier and the launch.”
Sr Clare Crockett died with five postulants as she taught them guitar. On the first anniversary of her death, the Servant Sisters established their first convent in Ireland in Roscommon. The Servant Sisters are hoping to produce a short documentary on another of the girls who died in the earthquake – 15-year-old Valeria. “She has an amazing story of forgiveness, as she saw her father kill her mother when she was just two,” said Sr Kristen.
Don’t fail to Watch it
Every Consecrated person should watch this life story: vocation promoters can show to the young people to show the beauty of vocation.
All or Nothing: Sr. Clare Crockett:
Wisdom from the Fathers of the Desert
“The body prospers in the measure in which the soul is weakened, and the soul prospers in the measure in which the body is weakened.” – Abba Daniel
Clare Crockett: Film celebrates nun killed in earthquake
By David Wilson BBC News NI 16 April 2018
A film charting the life of a Londonderry nun who died in an earthquake in South America will be screened in her home city on the second anniversary of her death.
Sister Clare Theresa Crockett, 33, died when a school collapsed in Playa Prieta, Ecuador on 16 April 2016.
All or Nothing: Sr Clare Crockett has been made by Sr Clare’s order, the Home of the Mother.
It will be broadcast in Derry and also in Ecuador on Monday.
“When you see the film, you see that this was the life for Clare,” her sister Shauna Gill told BBC Radio Foyle.
Ms Gill said it was a fitting tribute to her sister that there was such interest in her life and her work two years since her death.
“She was the happy-go-lucky, famous nun who helped so many people and is still helping people after her death,” she added.
Sr Clare and another Irish nun injured in the quake, Sr Thérèse Ryan from County Limerick, had been teaching guitar and singing with five young women postulants, who were entering the religious order, when the earthquake struck.
It is believed they became trapped on a stairwell as they ran out of the building
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed at least 480 people, injured more than 4,000 and left 231 missing.
Ms Gill said the day her sister – who had wanted to pursue an acting career before being called into religious service – died was the “worst feeling ever”.
“You don’t know what’s going on, people were coming and going all day, it is the worst feeling ever, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.
“It doesn’t get any easier, I think about that day every day but we have great support and listening to stories from people helps.
“I just think she gave up her life for God and she was taken in the most tragic way,” she said.
“Why take her so young when she was doing such amazing work?”
All or Nothing: Sr Clare Crockett documents the last 15 years of the nun’s life and includes interviews with her family, childhood friends and the nuns from the Home of the Mother order.
“Clare was just your normal average teenager, went to school, had her part-time job, enjoyed her weekends out just like everybody else,” her sister added.
“It was a surprise, a big shock to everybody, when Clare said she was going away to be a nun.
“The documentary shows the life that we never saw. She was one of the most unbelievable nuns.”
The documentary will be shown at the Brunswick Moviebowl Derry on 16 April and again on Wednesday.
It will also be shown at Sr Clare’s former school, St Cecilia’s College, later this week.