'I'm still pinching myself.' Documentary starring Gainesville's Callie Truelove reaching audiences with help from a 'Brady Bunch' actor

Mar. 2—Callie Truelove wasn't supposed to see her first birthday.

As an infant, she was diagnosed with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disorder caused by the deletion of part of the seventh chromosome. It affects her joints, connective tissues and parts of her heart. In many cases, the disorder thickens the walls of the aorta, making blood flow difficult.

At 19, she lives every day to the fullest, counting each as a gift; a second chance to spread love to those within her reach.

A reach that widens with the release of "Truelove: The Film," a documentary following Callie, the star, as she roves the Southeast by tour bus to raise awareness of Williams syndrome, meet other people who share her diagnosis and, in some cases, make their dreams and wishes come true.

"Truelove: The Film" Premiere

When: Noon to 2 p.m. March 11

Where: Ritz Theatre, 139 Doyle St., Toccoa

How much: $15 for adults; $5 for 18 and younger

Tickets: thetruelovefoundation.com/ritz

The film also includes guest appearances by Carrie Underwood, Wynonna Judd, Dierks Bentley, Michael Ray and Darius Rucker.

Directed by Phil Virado and produced by Christopher Knight, otherwise known as Peter Brady from the 1970s sitcom "The Brady Bunch," the documentary has been shown in various film festivals and conferences across the country and is slated to premiere for public viewing from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 11 at the Ritz Theatre in Toccoa.

"It'll be an emotional day for all of us," Callie said. "It took us like five years to finally get this thing said and done, and it's so worth it."

Filming began in 2019, yielding enough to cut together a trailer before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the States and placed the project on hold.

"That was so heartbreaking," said Callie, who lost her first service dog, Doodle Dandy, around the same time. "We decided, 'We're not quitting just because COVID happened. Why don't we change the dynamics a little bit and go on a tour bus for two weeks and do it that way?' So that's what we did, and we were successful — none of us caught COVID."

The 14-hour filming days were long, according to Callie, who shared the experience with her mother, Tabitha Truelove — but the opportunities they presented to mint lasting friendships made the experience well worth it.

The mother-daughter duo said they often didn't know who they were going to meet until they got there, but the connections were instant, even familial.

"It wasn't like we were filming; it was just like we were instantly family whenever we drove up and saw them," Tabitha said.

Such sentiments are not atypical for the Trueloves, especially Callie, who hardly meets a stranger.

"Callie has always had such a love for people — a love that God put in her and that she just loves to share to uplift others," Tabitha said. "She wants everyone to know that even though they have a disability, it doesn't matter. You may do things different or you may live your life different, but you're worthy of love and everything that life has to offer; you deserve to tell your story and live life to the fullest."

Spreading love like it's her last name

According to Tabitha, trips to the grocery store, even those made on a time crunch, often turn into hours-long outings, because Callie never fails to find someone to talk to. Often, they're folks in need of a kind smile and encouraging words.

"If she sees somebody that she feels led to speak to, she does," said Callie's dad, Keith Truelove. "This lady (that Callie once spoke to) said, 'Honey, you just don't know what I've been through today. You don't know how much that means to me.' I just plan an extra hour every time we go."

"She's taught me and her dad to slow down and to see things that we normally take for granted," Tabitha said. "We go in the grocery store and I'll say, 'I'm in a hurry. I need to get this and get home. No talking.' And I can see her see somebody across the grocery store or across the room and she just feels that need to speak to them, even if it's, 'Your hair is pretty' or 'I love your shirt.' People that just need somebody to say something to them. She sees the little things — the things that I necessarily pass over that I should see and I don't."

A pastor's daughter, Callie is no stranger to the biblical command to love one another, though her faith, rather than an inherited family heirloom, is entirely her own.

She believes God grants her the ability to sense people's emotions, a sort of intuitive nudge letting her know when a person could use some encouragement.

"I know when somebody needs to be talked to," she said. "God lets me know when people are going through something. This world is so dark and scary and spooky right now, we just need a little bit of light and a little bit of hope. If I can be that person, I'll do it."

Callie's life may be different from those of her peers, but she doesn't mind having a disability; rather, she considers it a blessing.

"A lot of people feel uncomfortable talking about their disability because they're afraid people won't take them seriously, but I'm not," she said. "I love to talk about my disability because I think it's a miracle instead of a disability."

'Bring a tissue box'

Callie brings that same perspective to the screen in hopes that it may flip the script on disabilities altogether and empower those who live with them.

"The main thing I hope people get from this movie is that you do have a voice and you need to be heard, and you can be the voice for your community," she said. "We did this film for not only Williams syndrome, but for all disabilities. I believe that everybody deserves to be loved and everybody has a purpose."

Callie admitted she was nervous at first to take on such a weighty task, but her faith in God saw her through.

"I was like, 'How in the world am I supposed to represent these people in the way that they need to be represented — in the way they deserve to be represented?'" she said. "Every day and every night for hours on end, I would just be praying, 'Please let me do this the right way, Lord.' And sure enough, he did. God keeps on answering so I keep on asking."

Seeing the film's final cut for the first time evoked a full spectrum of emotions, Callie said, "from 'Lord, why me?' to 'Thank you, Lord, that it was me.' I can't explain it — it's like you're on a roller coaster that keeps elevating a little higher and a little higher and then it goes, 'Whoosh.' It's unreal. I'm still pinching myself like, 'Did this really happen?'"

Prior to the film's premiere at noon March 11, a red carpet meet-and-greet is set for 10 a.m., also at the Ritz Theatre.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for 18 and younger, with proceeds going to the Truelove Foundation to fund therapies, trips and camp opportunities for children with Williams syndrome.

Tickets can be purchased online at thetruelovefoundation.com/ritz.

"Bring a tissue box," Callie said. "Some of these stories are absolutely heartbreaking. It's a ride of emotions."

For more information on "Truelove: The Film," visit truelovethefilm.com.