Kate Ford is the co-writer and co-producer of hit film Miss Congeniality.
Finding Hart, co-written by Laurie and Caroline Hart, is a romantic comedy based on their true story, proving one thing, that love is love is love. A story that serves a purpose of strength and inspiration. A story not only for the LGBTQ community, it’s for those who believe in true love, those seeking to find the courage from within.
Finding Hart, is currently in the hands of Katie Ford, best known for co-writing and co-producing the hit film, Miss Congeniality and the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated movie, Prayers for Bobby, starring Sigourney Weaver. Katie’s writing career started when at 21, she was hired to write on NBC’s hit sitcom Family Ties. Katie is repped by Perry Zimel at OAZ in Toronto.
Katie fell in love with Caroline and Laurie’s story and decided she wanted to be a producer of the film and optioned their screenplay.
Katie Ford: "I want your love and humor to get to those who need it. Finding Hart is a great romantic comedy in the tradition of great romantic comedies. It is also one that can move the needle in terms of social acceptance of LGBTQ people and love stories. You root for Caroline and Laurie against all odds."
As any traditional love story goes, boy meets girl, boy marries girl and they live happily ever after, but for Massachusetts residents Laurie and Caroline Hart, it would be a love story that goes down in history, one that would change hearts and minds for those afraid of change.
In 2005, Laurie Hart, Massachusetts native, takes a chance on love and creates a profile on an online lesbian dating site, an affair that would spark the greatest romance of her life.
Meanwhile in a small English village, where everyone knows your name, lived Caroline Hart, fresh out of the closest and looking for her first lesbian experience.
For reasons unknown, the universe had BIG plans for Laurie and Caroline, with 3500 miles between them, the stars aligned, the mountains moved, and they connected with a virtual smile.
Laurie: “Til this day, I cannot explain that feeling inside, I hadn’t even heard the sound of her voice. Although it was an English accent and who doesn’t love an English accent. I knew in my heart, she was the one! A bit hesitant to tell friends that I fell head over heels over an instant message, because they would have thought I’d gone mad, BUT it was true.
After a couple of months of endless emails and Verizon’s fantastic international plan, we knew things about one other that we had never been revealed. From our children, divorces, family, likes, dislikes, you name it, we created a bond, a bond that would be tested for many years to come”
Excited, Caroline takes a leap of faith and boards a flight to the United States, destination Logan International Airport, little did she know it would become a place that would cause her and Laurie much heartache.
Caroline: “Until I met Laurie, I never knew what real love was. Laurie filled my heart with so much joy, and her compassion was immeasurable. Even though she lived on the other side of the pond, when at last I was in her arms, I felt I was home for the first time in my life! She loved me with every ounce of her and I knew Laurie was indeed the one true love of my life. We had to surmount many obstacles in our lives to be together, but our love was stronger than everyone of them. Even now, after what will be 14 years together this year, I still appreciate how important our love is. Who knew that a smile could lead to a life filled with so much laughter and love… and yes, there have been tears, but we have taken turns in wiping them away, proving love only gets deeper with time.”
Laurie Hart: “After years of fighting to be recognized as a binational married couple, in the eyes of the federal government and playing a crucial part in the take down of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) we knew we didn’t find love, we found TRUE LOVE. A love that stands tall, in the test of times and our lives had collided for a greater purpose.”
Caroline Hart: “We could not be happier to be working with Katie, it is the very best feeling to know our story is in her incredibly capable hands, she understands it completely. Katie is so generous in sharing her talent with us, collaborating with her is literally a dream come true!”
4-time Emmy Award winning journalist and former WCVB 5 news anchor Heather Unruh, is also written into the screenplay, portraying herself. Heather’s been an ally of The Hart’s for many years.
"Love is food for the soul… Richly deserved by all who hunger for it. Theirs is a true, tried, beautiful story of the depths gone to cherish and protect their Forever Love." – Heather Unruh.