Contact Jo-Ann 'Jody' Wilhelm for Press Inquiries

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LETTERS TO STEPHANIE TRAILER

GENRE: Drama, Family, Inspirational

LOGLINE:  When a woman's granddaughter is placed for adoption, Social Services permits her and the birth parents to put letters, without identifiable information in them, in the adoption file that the child will have access to when she reaches legal age. The woman puts clues to the birth family's identity in her letter. She hopes that one day her granddaughter will follow the clues and find her.

CURRENT EVENTS: On March 4th, Letters to Stephanie was released for distribution by Vision video via Redeem TV.  It can be streamed by going to https://redeemtv.com.  Films on Redeem TV are free, except for new releases. If you're new  to Redeem TV, then go to "additional donor content". For a minimum donation of $25 you can watch all films, plus new releases for a year.

Also, Letters to Stephanie DVD's can be purchased via Redeem TV.

At a later date to be determined Letters to Stephanie will also be streamed on  Android TV, Apple TV,  Samsung Smart TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and other streaming services.

 

 

 

A poster for letters to stephanie

LETTERS TO STEPHANIE

LETTERS TO STEPHANIE

BACKGROUND:  This story begins during a time when pregnancy out of wedlock carried a social stigma. To avoid being shunned and publicly ridiculed, young pregnant women were sent away, many against their will, to live in secrecy in "rescue homes" for unwed mothers in exchange for giving up their babies for adoption.

SUMMARY: An unwed pregnant young woman is forced to give up her baby girl named Stephanie for adoption. The birth father and his mother are forbidden to adopt Stephanie.  Social Services permits the birth parents and the paternal grandmother to write letters without identifiable information for Stephanie's adoption file. Stephanie will be able to have a copy of her file after she's twenty-one. The only hope the grandmother has of ever seeing her granddaughter again is to put clues to the birth family's identity in her letter.

The grandmother and her son move forward, never again speaking of their pain from losing Stephanie. But separately, they share the same longest running prayer... that one day, by some miracle they will see Stephanie again.

It's an effective drama about hope and the tenacity of family love.

SYNOPSIS
SCREENPLAY/SCRIPT AWARDS

FOR RELEASE: LINK to Short Trailer (1:29 min.): https://vimeo.com/916314403?share=copy
MEDIA CONTACT: Mary E. Regan, Publicist, Mary@ProPublicist.com - C 843-730-1180 - “When You Need
Press, She Gets the Hits!”
Jo-Ann Wilhelm is Available for Interviews

 

1st Time Female Filmmaker, 84, is
International Winnerwith "Letters To Stephanie"

(Charleston, SC - Thursday, March 14, 2024) – After winning over 40 film awards covering screenwriting, directing, acting and original music at more than 20 film festivals, Jo-Ann "Jody" Bierer Wilhelm can finally rest. The former schoolteacher's dream of having her incredible true life story made into a film is complete with the release of Letters To Stephanie now being distributed through Vision Video's https://redeemtv.com/ streaming service.

Vision Video's Acquisitions & Television Sales Manager Christine Howard says they are excited to tell Jo-Ann's real tear-jerker of a story.

"Vision Video is honored to partner with Jo-Ann to distribute Letters to Stephanie, her powerful personal story of how her granddaughter, Stephanie, was placed for adoption. Her hopeful determination for them to one day be reunited is both heart-wrenching and compelling and ultimately gives testimony of the miraculous work of God."

Writer Jo-Ann Wilhelm said she is forever grateful and ecstatic at how everything came together to make such a heartfelt film.

“I am so very blessed to have had a first-rate cast and crew make my vision a reality. The film and the original music by Nicole C. Green always makes me emotional—it was just so well done. The only thing lacking was having a famous person in it. That’s how terrific it is!” said Wilhelm. “This just shows that, with God, there are no coincidences.”

Letters to Stephanie has already won four awards at the Christian Family Film Festival in NY, is a winner at the Christian Film Festival in VA and has been Nominated for Most Inspirational Feature Film and for Best Music Score by the International Christian Film Festival which is one of the largest film festivals in the world. Actress Nicole C. Green was Nominated for five awards for her original music.

Letters to Stephanie officially launched in early March for streaming via RedeemTV on the Additional Donor Content section which is content that can only be viewed by donors who give a minimum of $25 within a calendar year to the RedeemTV ministry. Once signed up, they are able to view all new releases for a year. RedeemTV will also pitch the film to their T.V. network and VOD (Video On Demand) distribution lists starting in April. FMI, visit visionvideo.com or RedeemTV.com

ABOUT Jo-Ann Wilhelm: visit www.LenoraLivingston.com (Jody’s pen name for “Where’s Stephanie?”) which has information on the film, its many awards, media hits, etc. Of special note is the fact Jody was instrumental in changing the law in SC with House Bill 3898 (Act. No 79) which became law on 5/31/17 to give biological grandparents of a grandchild placed for adoption the right to sign the state’s children rights to sign the state’s Social Services Adoption Reunion Registry: https://legiscan.com/SC/text/H3898/2017.

Press Release

MEDIA COVERAGE

3/20/24: Summerville Journal Scene on the Film’s Release:: https://bit.ly/3PDoXAX

2/27/24 FOX Carolina, Greenville:: https://bit.ly/3uQ7I8k

2/8/24: WATC-TV 57, Atlanta Live-Rebecca Keener/Host-Letters to Stephanie:: https://bit.ly/3TNZHKV

12/11/23: Summerville Journal Sceneby Mary E. Regan on private showing of film: https://bit.ly/3PxHQVU

8/17/22: Summerville Journal Scene: “Renowned Summerville author honored at Christian Film Festival”: https://bit.ly/3NYurUR

3/25/21: WEB PLUS FLORENCE CRITTENTON PROGRAMS INTERVIEW with Brittany Morrow:: https://bit.ly/3j73wIr

12/24 20: Summerville Journal Scene by Mary E. Regan: bit.ly/4alh7DY

2/10/20: WGGS-TV, Ch. 16, Christian Broadcasting, Greenville, SC, with Pastor Keith Kelly – No Link

12/28/19: WLOS ABC 13, Asheville, NC – Weekend A.M. show with Host Justin Hinton:: https://bit.ly/2YRew5i

12/19/19: WIS-TV NBC 10, Columbia, SC – “Talk of the Town” Noon News with Emily Scarlett: https://bit.ly/3p9BsrK

12/17/19: WACH FOX 57, Columbia, SC – “Good Day, Columbia” with Host Candace Scalese: https://bit.ly/3FVh1EA

12/11/19: WSPA CBS 7, Spartanburg, SC “Carolina’s Family” with Host Amy Wood: https://bit.ly/3FUFtWI

12/11/19: WHNS FOX 21, Greenville, SC-“The Morning News” with Host Margaret-Ann Carter: https://bit.ly/3p8ct7T

12/4/19: WOLO ABC 25, Columbia, SC-“Good Morning Columbia” with Host Claire Richardson: https://bit.ly/3j7K3Y9

11/20/19: WTAT FOX 24, Charleston, SC, “News Now at 11” Host Leyla Gulen: https://bit.ly/35GQsA3

11/28/19: WWDB-TV.com, “Corey Taylor Talks” show Las Vegas, NV: https://bit.ly/3p8cJnn

11/15/19: Summerville Journal Scene by Mary E. Regan: https://bit.ly/2sdjCsb

August, 2019 Feature in woman-owned, Charleston-based Focus on Fabulous magazine: https://bit.ly/3lL76JK

11/14/18: Summerville Journal Scene by Mary E. Regan on Author fell into writing: bit.ly/3x4kvVE

11/27/15: Summerville Journal Scene - Author talks to Dorchester Academy students: https://bit.ly/2YYW2QM

11/1/15: Summerville Journal Scene - Author speaks to a church group about faith: https://bit.ly/3vkrvbH

MEDIA COVERAGE
FILM AWARDS

Jo-Ann "Jody" Bierer Wilhelm

The original Brylcreem man, the late Playwright Mark Weston, was Jo-Ann's writing coach at the Screen Actors Guild Conservatory  in New York City. His advice,  "Write with feelings. If you feel it your readers will feel it too" paid off when writing her emotionally charged scripts.

Click on the BIO button at the top of this page to see her complete bio.

A woman with white hair wearing a blue sweater.

"LETTERS TO STEPHANIE" STILL PHOTOS

A woman and girl in front of a mirror.
A woman looking to her left in the dark.
A man talking to another person in front of him.
A woman sitting on the couch looking at something.

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Two women hugging on a couch in front of a painting.
A woman in red dress holding something up to her face.
Two women sitting on a bed in robes
A woman writing on paper at the table.
A woman holding a baby in her arms.