“The worst times in human history happen when we forget about cultivating love, peace, and unity. When we forget these important values, we forget about the true essence of what it is to be human, and we cannot lose our humanity,” – The Bergamot
The Bergamot is an American Indie Folk/Rock duo consisting of members Jillian Speece and Nathaniel Paul Hoff, and has spent the last six and half years touring all fifty states, spreading this message of passion and peace, on their journey to create the award-winning documentary “State of the Unity”.
The idea was born in the Fall of 2015, and became a much bigger undertaking than just a simple tour. “This journey across America transformed our hearts and changed our lives forever,” Jillian says. “At its essence, The Unity Collective Tour was a peace tour where we were in search of unity in a world that is incredibly divided. We spread a message of unity through music, community and collaboration, and by inviting people of all walks of life to sign their message of unity on our station wagon (The Unity Car), we were able to spread love and facilitate deep connections.”
Some days were beautiful, some were challenging. There were setbacks, break-ins, and tears, but through their Faith and love for each other, they traversed on to share their passionate message. Through their travels, The Bergamot took to the stage performing 265 shows, using the power of art to bring the American people together.
“Out on the road, we learned that unity starts with you in the mirror, at your kitchen table, on your street with your neighbors, in your community, state, country and in the world. We learned that each of us play a big role in the choices we make everyday, both consciously and unconsciously, and it is more important than ever to make choices that promote love, beauty and unity,” says Jillian. “We can only love others as much as we love ourselves; we saw a lot of people in pain, and living with regrets and hatred towards themselves. So ultimately, we must learn to forgive ourselves and love ourselves in a non-selfish way first, before we can love our neighbors. Through this love we can cultivate unity in our communities.”
The ‘State of the Unity’ Fan First Premiere showing will take place on Thursday, July 14th, at 8 p.m at The Acorn in Three Oaks, and will feature a Q & A afterwards. This 90 minute documentary has become an official selection in over 18 International Film Festivals, while garnering prestigious awards like:
– “Best Feature Documentary” at the Paris Independent Film Festival
– “Excellence in Filmmaking Award” at the Sedona International Film Festival
– “2022 Artistic Pioneer Award” at the Richmond International Film Festival
– “Best Directors Award” at Atlanta DocuFest
General admission tickets are $20 per person, and VIP reserved seating with Pre-Show meet & greet and light appetizers are $45.
Jillian and Nathaniel became The Bergamot in 2010, in South Bend, IN, and have since released multiple albums, singles, toured Europe, got married, moved to Brooklyn, and opened for bands such as X-Ambassadors, Gavin Degraw, Young The Giant, and OneRepublic. ‘State of the Unity’ has become a collaborative work that has sparked discussion across the globe, “giving hope amidst a divided world full of hate.”
“From a young age, both Nathaniel and I could feel the powerful impact music and art had in creating meaning in our world. Art speaks directly to the soul,” Jillian says. Their new single, “Make It Last” was released just last year, and has special significance in the film, as it plays during ‘a pivotal point where fear and love intersect.’ Jillian shares some of the lyrics:
Because this world / Is all we have
The birds and the grass / We’ve got to make this last / We’ve got to make this last
I feel like I can start again / I’m feeling with my heart again
There is so much beauty in this world / Just laying around
During a time when our political views, religious beliefs, and ways of life seem to clash with those around us, a reminder that solidarity can only strengthen us and each other, is necessary. Check out The Bergamot website, view the film trailer here, and purchase tickets for the showing of ‘State of the Unity’ this Thursday, at acornlive.org.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
