My Newest Book Release
In 2003, I was sitting at my desk in Fletcher, NC making notes for my first novel. Without warning, snowflakes began to fall, soft at first. I momentarily took a break to gaze out the large picture window into a snow-covered neighborhood with the white substance falling so hard you could barely see the houses on our cul-de-sac.
The thought came to my mind, Why don’t you write a screenplay? Stunned at the intrusion of this idea, I took a brief break and picked up a small paper from a local community college that had come in the mail the day before. For some odd reason I turned to the classified ads section. My eyes fell onto an ad promoting an online screenwriting course. I was flabbergasted and shared the coincidence with my husband.
We had only been living in the area for a few weeks. That afternoon, after the snowfall ceased, we took a ride and wandered into some unknown places. During that journey, we noticed a billboard that advertised a movie studio. Our curiosity got the best of us, so we drove around a few bends and into the driveway of Blue Ridge Motion Picture Studios. I think the expression on both of our faces was that of unified shock.
Two months later, after taking the course, I indeed finished that screenplay, so we made an appointment with the Producers at the studio. The following year, in September 2005 we finished filming, A Dance for Bethany, a four-time award-winning feature film about human trafficking that was featured world-wide.
Yvonne G. Williams
Before the Movie "Taken"
There was an Award-winning film that brought attention
in a serious and dramatic way to the issue of
human trafficking in America!
Why Audiences love A Dance For Bethany
“A Dance For Bethany is an absolutely compelling story, a must see!!
Magnificent and tastefully done, Yvonne Williams has the unique vision and ability of creating a story and characters that make this film entertaining while touching you to the very core of your being.”
JOHNNIE GRANT, Editor the Urban News, Asheville, NC
“I loved it. Our youth need to see this movie. I’m going to bring several young folks back to see it.” (He did)
MAURY SCOBE, Personal Assistant to Billy Graham
“I’m going to bring all my friends to see this. I loved it. We need to know about this”
9 YEAR-OLD GIRL
“Seeing A Dance for Bethany has made me to think about making better choices. I’m going to bring all my friends to see it again.”
11 YEAR OLD GIRL
“I’ll never be the same. I could watch it over and over again.”
ADULT FEMALE
“The churches have got see A Dance for Bethany. It’s such a great story and so moving. These are the types of films we need.”
ADULT MALE
“A Dance for Bethany tells the truth about prostitution in America. How courageous of the filmmaker to expose male responsibility for creating and maintaining the commercial sexual exploitation of women and children. I look forward to the New York premiere!”
ANYA CHERNEFF New York Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Redemptive Film Festival
Accolade Film Festival
Faith & Film Festival
Audience Reviews for A Dance For Bethany The Movie
What audiences are saying about A Dance for Bethany – A story that will change your life “Best movie I’ve seen for my money in years. It’s such a great story.”
A Dance for Bethany was premiered in the following venues in order to get audience reactions. Ticket sales with minimal marketing show what a great story can generate and gives us great promise for A Dance for Bethany. The only marketing tools we had were 8×10 flyers that were distributed, radio and TV interviews with the producers, and press releases. We produced a small number of DVD’s to have available at the showings and sold over 400.
Asheville Fine Arts Theatre – sold out 225 seats on a Thursday night Carmike Cinemas held over for 4 weeks. (We were up against 3:10 to Yuma and Eastern Promises and beat them in ticket sales the second week once word of mouth was generated)
Cinnabar Dinner Theater – sold 110 seats of a 125-seat theater on a Monday night Bradenton, FL – 80 seats on a Saturday afternoon showing
Wauchula, FL – 300 plus tickets sold for a Saturday night showing in the Civic Center
The Wink Theater, Dalton, GA – 300+ tickets sold for a Saturday showing Remarks:
“Seeing A Dance for Bethany has made me to think about making better choices. I’m going to bring all my friends to see it again.”
11-year-old girl
“On a completely unrelated note, the script is breathtaking. I thought I’d read somewhere that this is your first screenplay. Can that be true? It’s spell binding. I usually get very bored reading scripts, but it held my attention the whole way through. The action is spread masterfully between the different characters.”
E.G. Actress – California
“I finally had a chance to watch on Monday night. BRAVOOOO!!! I enjoyed the behind the scenes, as well – will watch it again soon when my husband has time to watch too. I am glad I am a proud owner of this wonderful work.”
Claudia Crosby, Customer Service Manager Asheville Savings Bank
“I LOVE IT . . . I received it today and sat right down and watched it. My daughter and I planned on watching it together, but I couldn’t wait for her, so I will watch it again with her. I watched it from start to end and it was very entertaining.
I had no idea that there are children out there that have to live like this. It was very heart-wrenching; I have two girls of my own and I cannot imagine that they would have had to run away from home to feel safe yet be so abused. It is one you can watch over and over again. You should be very proud of it. I am glad I bought it. I feel like I got my money’s worth. And I am looking forward to your next movie. Congratulations to you and your husband.”
J.L. (Adult female) – Wisconsin
“Oh my gosh, I loved it. I’ll never be the same. I could watch this movie over and over again. When will it be out on DVD? And I want a soundtrack too.”
Adult Female
“People have got see this movie. It’s such a great story and so moving. These are the types of films we need. Best movie for my money in years.”
Adult male
This gentleman brought ten people to see A Dance for Bethany. We did not get a chance to talk with him after the show but he called us an hour later and said, “I hated to have to leave without telling you what we thought of the movie but we had another
engagement to attend. Yvonne, what a great job! I loved it.
Gigi (Billy Graham’s daughter) also loved it. We all thought it was fabulous. So well done and it didn’t even feel like an independent film. Our youth need to see this movie. I’m going to bring several young folks back to see it next week. Once again, great job!” He brought several teenage boys to the Carmike showing.
Maury Scobe Personal Assistant to Billy Graham
“A Dance for Bethany tells the truth about prostitution in America. It is the antidote for Pretty Woman. How courageous of the filmmaker to expose male responsibility for creating and maintaining the commercial sexual exploitation of women and children.
I look forward to the New York premiere!”
Anya Cherneff, New York Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
“It’s an absolutely compelling story a must see!” After Ms. Grant watched A Dance for Bethany, she took the screenwriter aside and asked her a few questions:
“How were you able to write such intimate detail and emotion connected to this issue? Is this a true story? Do you know someone personally who was trafficked?”
Williams replied, “Anyone who has been exploited in anyway and who struggles to get free, deals with the issues that Bethany dealt with: trust, fear, unworthiness.
The struggle to leave evil for good is inherent in all of us. It’s not just a women’s issue. We’ve all been exploited at some pointing life."
Johnnie Grant, Editor the Urban News Asheville, NC
“I wish I had brought my three children. With the subject matter I didn’t know how dark it would be. I’m glad that it wasn’t. You filmed this so tastefully yet got the heart of the story across so beautifully. That way the youth can see it, and they need to see it. I’m going to bring my girls to see it next weekend.”
Father of three
After one of the showing a 9-year-old girl came up to me and said, “I loved it.” I asked her if the one scene where Bethany looked beat up bothered her and her reply was, “Not at all. We need to see this. When are you going to show it again? I want to bring my girlfriends.” Her mother told me, “She’s seen worse on TV.”
9-year-old female
“I have to tell you something Yvonne. The first time I saw the movie I was not moved. It was okay. But I knew you had made some changes, so I wanted to give it another shot. I don’t know what you did, but I was so moved this time. When Bethany is interviewed, I can’t imagine any father or grandfather not struggling to control their emotions”. He wiped his eyes as he turned to leave the theatre.
T.K. (Adult male) – North Carolina
“It’s wonderful. I had no idea what this was all about. There is something in this movie for everyone … so many amazing scenes. Oh. (she grabbed her heart) The scene where Bethany is on the back porch with Sarah … when Sarah takes Bethany’s sweet little face in her hands and tells her, Sugar plum, you are a pearl, I thought my heart would burst through my chest. That was so powerful, so beautiful! Yvonne it’s absolutely wonderful, just wonderful.”
K.S. (Adult female) – Georgia
“I watched the movie last night Yvonne and I really liked it. I was expecting it to be one of those cheaply made home movies … you know, how you can tell that a movie is an independent film? Well, this one didn’t feel like it at all. It looked great and the acting was believable. They were really good! And the story! I don’t cry at movies, but I cried three times. I have two teenage boys and I’m going to show A Dance for Bethany to them. People don’t want to accept that this really happens here, do they? – Anyway, it was fabulous. I want my mom to see it. She’s in charge of the women’s group of a large denominational church and I know they will want to show it to their congregations.”
K.B. (Adult female) – Tennessee
“I had the pleasure of watching the Movie, A Dance for Bethany and receiving the book in the mail yesterday. I was in absolute AWE. I watched the movie and then sat down a second time and watched it with my grandson, granddaughter, and son immediately thereafter. We were all moved by the beauty in which the story was delivered. The actresses, actors, the entire setting, and the way it was brought to life on screen is something that I cannot even find the words to express.” This lady sent this email to her entire list.
L.L. (Adult female) – Kentucky
“I generally judge the success of a movie by the number of cries I get. If I get at least three then it’s a hit. I had five. I love it."
A.A. (Adult female) – Florida
“We just watched the movie again. Even though we saw it in Asheville and knew what the end results would be, I still could not hold back the tears. The word needs to get out about this movie.”
B.J (Adult male)- Tennessee