Watch Edie & Thea, a very long engagement

Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement is an enchanting documentary about two women, Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer, who fell in love in 1963 when homosexuality was still considered a crime. It is a love story that spans over four decades and recounts their life journey together, culminating in Edie's landmark Supreme Court case in 2013 that helped strike down the Defense of Marriage Act and paved the way for marriage equality in America.

The film begins with two young women, Edie and Thea, meeting in New York City and instantly falling in love. They recognize the significance of their feelings for each other, especially in a society that does not readily accept same-sex relationships. Edie and Thea become pioneers of the LGBTQ+ community, paving the way for future generations to come out and love freely.

The couple faced many obstacles throughout their lives, including the diagnosis of Thea's multiple sclerosis, which would eventually force her into a wheelchair. Together, they battled against society's narrow-minded view of homosexuality, and the stigma attached to queer women in particular.

The documentary combines archival footage, interviews with Edie and Thea, and heart-wrenching moments that showcase the love and respect the couple shared for each other. Throughout the film, the audience is made to understand the couple's love story, the struggles they faced denials, uncertainty and discrimination within the LGBTQ+ community and their eventual triumph in securing the right to marry in America.

As the couple got older, their bond grew even stronger, and they eventually married in 2007 during a window in which same-sex marriages were briefly allowed in California. Despite their joyous day marrying, the state of New York did not legally recognize their union, forcing Edie to pay a staggering estate tax bill upon Thea's passing in 2009. She then spent the next four years fighting the U.S. government for equality and ultimately appealed her case in the Supreme Court.

The documentary's climax is her landmark Supreme Court case, where Edie prevails and her fight for equality leads the way for the LGBTQ+ community's fight for freedom and recognition.

The film offers a captivating travel through time and history, chronicling the couple's experiences against the backdrop of homosexuality's changing social and legal acceptance. It offers a glimpse of how the world was for the LGBTQ+ community in the 1960s and 1970s in the United States, providing an eye-opening perspective of how far society has come, and how there is always room for improvement to create an inclusive world.

Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement is a heartwarming and emotional story, beautifully told with compassion, sensitivity, and respect. The film offers a poignant tribute to love and the power it brings to conquer discrimination, social injustice and bigotry. The movie is a reminder that equality, acceptance, and love can triumph over what is wrongfully deemed unacceptable by the majority, and how the human spirit can prevail and blaze a path for the future.

All in all, Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement is a must-watch documentary, a testament to love, and the fight for equal rights that will leave viewers inspired and hopeful.