On-Site Film & Discussion: “Stranger At The Gate”

After 25 years of service in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Marine Richard “Mac” McKinney returned home to Muncie, Indiana, with an all-consuming hatred toward the people he had been fighting overseas. McKinney decided to bomb the local mosque, but when he came face-to-face with a welcoming community, his plans – and his life – took an unexpected turn. 
 
Gather at the Museum for a screening of the 2023 Academy Award-nominated documentary Stranger at the Gate, which follows the story of Mac McKinney and the community he encountered. The film will be followed by a discussion between the film’s leading subjects, Richard “Mac” McKinney, and Bibi Bahrami, as well as the film’s director, Josh Seftel. The panel will be moderated by Michael Gray, Partner at Jones Day, and Member of Illinois Holocaust Museum’s Board of Directors.  

This powerful true story of humanity, forgiveness, and redemption is not to be missed. 

Part of the Jones Day Foundation Community Series, a special series of events focused on confronting antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.  

Community partners: Children of the Abraham Coalition; Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago; Muslim Community Center; Syrian Community Network (SCN); Parliament of the World’s Religions; Illinois Film Office; DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts