Category Archives: documentary

“The Hidden Life of Trees” Shares a Mystical Life

book, documentary

Based on Peter Wohlleben’s bestselling book of the same name and directed by Jorg Adolph, The Hidden Life of Trees, introduces you to a unique idea. The documentary immerses you into understanding how trees are sentient creatures. Despite being rooted to the ground with the inability to flee from danger, these living forces branch off and live to infinity as an unbeatable force. The movie shows how trees release chemicals into their cells to discourage predators, such as deer and insects. In fact, trees disperse chemical signals into the atmosphere to warn other species — prepare for the threat.  

Together with scientists, and dedicated persons, the movie disabuses the idea that planting trees compensates for cutting down trees. 

A renowned forester and writer Peter Wohlleben guides us through his most precious ideas and understanding of how trees work in this enlightening documentary. Presenting ecological, biological and academic expertise with matter-of-fact honestly, Peter inspires us to see the forest for the trees.  

Traveling through Germany, Poland, Sweden and Vancouver, Peter discusses, debates, and explains the unique process of life, death and regeneration he has observed in the woodland and the fantastic scientific mechanisms behind these wonders. We are too often blissfully unaware.

Thanks to Peter and his bestseller, we are more aware of this valuable life force that aids our planet’s survival. After watching Adolph’s documentary, you’ll never walk into the woods the same again. 

The Hidde Life of Trees will profoundly change believers’ understanding of forests. That trees can communicate with each other through a complicated system with the ability to feel. The old trees care for the young ones by providing nutrition. 

Wohlleben charmingly takes us through the woods and shows us how the trees cooperate and communicate with nearby species. Sheltering and nurturing young offspring trees, they partner with other species in the forest like fungi — a synergy of survival. 

Gratefully, Jan Haft’s camera work illustrates the fantastic process of life, death, and regeneration Peter has observed in the woodland for decades. Haft’s camera work is a wonder. The result is an immersive and eye-opening look at the scientific mechanisms behind these wonders of nature. 

Thank you, We Are Movie Geeks and IMDB, for information about the documentary. 

“Dark Shadows” Documentary Goes Beyond Barnabas, Jonathan Frid

documentary, legend,

Being raised by a single parent of three children, I didn’t watch Sesame Street. Instead, I watched soap operas because our babysitter insisted, “they were more entertaining.” Dark Shadows was one of her favorites and mine, too.

Dark Shadows was an unlikely daytime hit TV show. It even became a cultural touchstone for generations of viewers as the only gothic soap opera. Some say it still casts spells on new and old fans.

Jonathan Frid, who played the tormented vampire Barnabas Collins, is profiled in a biographical film, Dark Shadows and Beyond – The Jonathan Frid Story. The documentary is currently streaming on digital platforms and is available on DVD and Blu-ray.

The documentary shines a positive light on Jonathan Frid, which is refreshing compared to other documentaries of late. The 102-minute movie covers the Canadian-born star’s fascinating life and career as a Shakespearean actor — on stage with Katharine Hepburn and poignant advice from Sir Laurence Olivier.

If you are looking for a scandalous past or real skeleton in Frid’s closet, you’ll find none of that in this detailed story of the man beneath the vampire’s cloak. The documentary explores his personal and professional struggles, artistic triumphs and rises to fame shared through personal letters to his mother read by fellow soap star Ian Buchanan.

We also hear from Frid’s friends, family and colleagues, who offer a fresh view of the soap opera legend. We hear from veteran talk show host and Yale Drama School classmate David Cavett, actresses Marion Ross and Christine Pickles. Even the co-stars of Dark Shadows share a positive portrait, including David Selby, Lara Parker, Marie Wallace, Nancy Barrett, James Strom, and Kathryn Leigh Scott.

Frid’s story is about a dedicated actor who is passionate about his craft. He was well-liked by many, mentioning his generosity and kindness.

In archival interviews, Frid found the Barnabas role fulfilling because of time shifts in the storyline. He jumped back in time before he was a vampire, which showed the complexities of the character most soaps could never fathom. It was as if he was playing a dozen roles. Despite the circumstances Barnabas encountered, Frid knew being a vampire meant he was never just a vampire. He was a tragic character who felt deep emotions — including guilt. Intricacies only an actor with well-refined acting skills would perceive or understand, resulting in a sensational character and an enormous fan base.

The DVD or Blu-ray comes with rare performance footage, such as archival material from Frid’s private collections, which are gems. Also included is a PBS TV discussion with Frid, promotional pieces with the actor, Frid reading an excerpt of Washington Irving’s classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Best of Barnabas, a compilation video.

As producer Mary O’Leary says, “Jonathan’s years on Dark Shadows have been well covered in print interviews. To gain insight, I chose to interview people who were close to him, ranging from his years at Yale to his work in regional theater to those involved in his one-man shows, which he toured across the country in his later years.”

Any fan of Dark Shadows will appreciate this well-thought-out documentary of a professional actor. He hit his mark on a unique and yet dissimilar soap opera on American TV.

Thank you HiTechGlitz.com for the additional information.

“Audrey Hepburn: More Than an Icon” Documentary

documentary

“… but there is another side to Audrey that is relatively unexplored. Audrey suffered great tragedy and trauma in her life, but she was always able to transform this into something better, and more beautiful,” says Helen Coan, director of the documentary Audrey: More Than an Icon.

Audrey Hepburn playing golf and holding a parasol, circa 1955

As a definitive feature documentary on Audrey Hepburn, the film is about the star, fashion icon and humanitarian. Coan uses re-enactments, genuine footage, recorded testimonies, and Audrey Hepburn herself on film and recordings.

The story begins with a recording of Audrey, then winning her first Academy Award at age 24. Coan telling the story of Audrey’s family and her experience during WW II — in Holland — one of the worse Nazi-occupied countries.

From there the movie tells Audrey Hepburn’s story through the eyes of those who are in the film industry, close friends, grandchildren of photographers, and fashion designers. You’re drawn into a well-made movie with cuts to a ballerina dancing on stage as a symbol of Audrey’s desire to become a ballet dancer.

Audrey performing during her childhood years.

Wayne McGregor crafted the film dance sequences. McGregor is a multi-award-winning British choreographer and director. Three dancers play Audrey in various stages of her life are Francesca​ Hayward, principal dancer in the Royal Ballet, plays ‘Hollywood era Audrey’, at the height of her fame. Alessandra​ Ferri, ​one of 13 dancers ever to receive the title of ‘prima ballerina assoluta,’ plays Audrey in her later years. The documentary introduces Keira Moore as ‘Young Audrey.’ Moore audition as part of the process at various ballet schools. Composer Alex Somers wrote the movie’s original score, inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood composers who scored Audrey’s films.

As Coan skillfully cuts in Audrey’s recordings, as a voiceover, industry footage, and home movies, the viewer meets the magical icon based on how Coan weaves the story, which emphasizes her hardship.

Audrey with her son Sean Hepburn Ferrer

She had three marriages, and her last marriage seems to be a success.

In 1980, Audrey meets Robert Wolders. Brought together at a dinner party, Robert is overcoming the recent death of his wife, and Audrey is trapped in an unhappy marriage. This shared feeling of disillusionment with life and love bonds the two together, as well as their harrowing shared experiences of Nazi-occupied Holland in World War II. As Robert explained, “We met at a time when we each had gone through trials, but we knew exactly what we wanted — togetherness.” 

Audrey with Robert

Audrey and Robert’s life is relatively simple, and they detach themselves from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Together they live in the foothills of the Alps, away from the glare of the paparazzi as much as possible, and begin a life of service, dedicating more and more of their time to UNICEF.

In the years that follow, Audrey’s commitment to UNICEF results in her retiring from acting, and she spends the last years of her life dedicated to helping and campaigning on behalf of children living in developing countries, from Bangladesh to Somalia.

Audrey and Robert

Her life coming full circle, Audrey, often with Robert by her side, makes many UNICEF field trips, visiting and drawing attention to life-saving initiatives, from projects providing drinking water in Guatemala, orphanages in Ethiopia, training programs for women in Venezuela, polio vaccine projects. They appointed Audrey as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. 

Three years later, Audrey, having experienced severe abdominal pain, is diagnosed with a rare form of appendix cancer and told she has only three months to live. 

“Such a valuable human being” is the only thing Robert can say. 

No one has matched her unrelenting work with UNICEF. When she passed away, it’s told with endearment. She seemed at peace and content with her life.

The documentary covers her entire life, including marriages, her children, and her association with UNICEF. Coan’s portrait may feel conflicting with the display of vulnerability and strength, “… whose complexities, insecurities, challenges and intricacies made her a force of nature whose presence is still felt worldwide today,” concludes Coan.

“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band”

documentary, historical, , , ,

Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band seems like is an open heart confession that’s admonishing, and sometimes humorous story of Robertson’s young life and the making of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music—The Band. 

The film is a poignant story of Robertson’s journey, overcoming adversity and finding friendship alongside the four other men who would become his brothers in music, together making their mark on music history. 

One of the bright spots in the movie is the blends of rare archival footage, photography, iconic songs, and interviews with Robertson’s friends and collaborators, including Martin Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, and others.

The storytelling began in 2011 when the legendary guitarist, songwriter, composer, and producer Robbie Robertson pulled up his bootstraps with a put pen to paper began telling his story. The story about his life written over five years. 

His 2016 memoir and New York Times bestseller Testimony chronicle the period from his upbringing on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario to his wild years touring with music giants Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan to his role in the formation of one of the most revered and influential groups of the 20th century—The Band. 

Robbie Robertson

“A lot of stories had mounted up over the years, and it reached a point where they were too heavy for me to carry around,” Robertson says. “The only way I could get some relief was to set some of them free. Several authors had contacted me about writing my story over the years, but each time we’d hit a certain point where things just didn’t ring true to me. It sounded like somebody else was trying to impersonate my voice, so I ended up writing every word of it myself.”

The memoir captured the attention of filmmakers. “After it was published, a couple of people approached me and said they were interested in making a documentary based on the book, but I wanted to wait until I found someone who just sounded real to me,” Robertson explains.

After careful consideration, Robertson chose to option film rights to his book to the experienced Toronto-based film and television production company White Pine Pictures. “We were honored that Robbie put his trust in us,” says Raymont. It was the beginning of a wonderful adventure.”

Daniel Roher came on board as the director with three short documentaries under his belt. “We were impressed with Daniel’s passion, determination and extraordinary chutzpah” says Raymont, “Nothing was going to stop him.”

“Daniel had already made several documentaries that people felt were really good,” says Robertson, “and when they asked him what he wanted to do next, he said he wanted to make a documentary from my book.”

Roher grew up loving their music. “The first time I heard them was through my parents, and I was instantly hooked,” he says. “Their incredible musicianship grabbed me, and they just seemed like the coolest guys in any room they set foot in. So, when Robbie’s book was published, I immediately knew it would make a phenomenal documentary.”

By his admission, Roher’s interest in developing the material became an obsession as time went on. “I told anyone who would listen that this was my dream project,” he says. “The truth is, I would’ve begged, cried, or stolen to direct this movie.” 

Robertson says he saw something of himself in Roher. “When I first started playing music I went against all the odds and broke down walls to make it work. I got that same feeling from Daniel. He knew he had to make this work.”

Roher recalls, “At one point Robbie said, ‘You know, kid, one of my closest friends is Martin Scorsese, so why should you be the one to make this movie?’ And I just laid it all out for him,” Roher recalls. “I told him about my deep appreciation of where he came from, and I explained that I’ve spent time in indigenous communities across Ontario, and know what it’s like when the instruments come out after a long day of work and the music starts playing.”

Above all else, Roher reminded Robertson that his book’s story was about a highly ambitious young man who bucks the odds to make his mark on the world. “Thankfully, my pitch resonated with him, because he said, ‘Okay, kid, let’s make trouble together.’ That’s when my life changed.”

Lost in America

Insider’s Homeless Youth, Absolutely Lowest “Lost in America”

documentary, drama, , , ,
Lost in America
Movie includes Halle Berry, Tiffany Haddish, Jon Bon Jovi, Rebecca Gayheart-Dane, Sanaa Lathan.

Directed by a survivor of the homeless as a youth, Rotimi Rainwater presents a blunt obligatory look at the harsh realities of homelessness in the documentary Lost in America. The story is poignant, showcasing the heart-wrenching truth of youth homelessness that, according to production notes, affects over millions of youth each year across America.   

The movie is a raw, unedited look at the various faces of youth homelessness, following Rainwater’s six-year journey as he gets up-close and personal with over 30 homeless youth in over 15 cities across the country. Shining his light in the dark shadows highlights the brutal perspective of the constant challenges of the homeless youth.  

The documentary shows startling truth about why so many young adults do not have a place to call home. Vacillating from human trafficking, family rejection, domestic violence, abuse and failures of the foster care system, each of the 30 participants tell their harrowing stories, painting an authentic, dark portrait of their homeless journey—it’s an eye-opener.

Simultaneously, the documentary highlights the efforts made to combat this issue. Lost in America includes interviews with homeless youth organizations and prominent political figures.  

The documentary features some major Hollywood talent that includes Halle Berry, Tiffany Haddish, Jon Bon Jovi, Rebecca Gayheart-Dane, Sanaa Lathan, and many more.  

Lost in America

The movie lacks popcorn entertainment. It is a film that everyone must watch, but not by themselves, with family and friends or educational or social betterment groups with discussions held afterward. Lost in America will be available on DVD and is streaming at select cable providers.

Watch Mister America

Campaign Obsession “Mister America” Focuses on Unusual Candidate

comedy, documentary, ,

First of all, the documentary is not one. It is called a mockumentary. Directed by Eric Notarnicola, who is passionate about cinema and documentary, the filming happened on location in the San Bernardino and the Los Angeles area. The production team used a mix of non-actors and actors, creating documentary techniques to fake the experience of an actual story unwinding in real-time. The actors improvised each situation, allowing their characters and the story to unfold naturally. The style worked. It was funny and kept me entertained throughout.

The story starts with Tim Heidecker in the final month of his campaign for district attorney. He is an underdog facing an uphill battle that evolves into a delusional, crazy study of Tim’s true motivations and controversial past, unraveling his candidacy.

The movie gets more interesting at this point because Tim has taken on the popular incumbent, Vincent Rosetti, also known in Tim’s mind as “Rosetti the Rat.” Rosetti found Tim and his inexperienced campaign manager, outmatched, low on funds, connections, and experience. Tim doesn’t even have enough signatures to run. He tries hitting the streets as a last-ditch effort to connect to the voters and promises to wipe out all the crime in San Bernardino, but with no avail, he doesn’t win over the community.

His campaign grows by word of mouth, and former friends of Tim warn the public with stories about bad business deals, strained friendships, and a failed court case in which he ended up accused of murder.

He is only days away from the election, and the campaign is free falling. He needs to confront the obvious of pursuing is a delusional dream. The clip below says it all about Tim and his unsuccessful pursuit for office.

“Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins” Documentary

documentary, true story,

Written, directed, and co-produced Janice Engel, the documentary Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins tells the story of media firebrand Molly Ivins. A tall woman of six feet and full of Texas trouble, which took on the Good Old Boy corruption wherever she found it. 

Director Janice Engel

Her razor-sharp wit left both sides of the aisle laughing, and craving ink in her columns. She knew the Bill of Rights was in peril and said: “Polarizing people is a good way to win an election and a good way to wreck a country.” Molly’s words have proved prescient. Now it’s up to us to raise hell. In her home state, the 2019 SXSW Festival awarded the documentary “Audience Award Winner.”

Engel first heard about Ivins over six years ago, “My soon-to-be producing partner, James Egan, told me to go see this one-woman play Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins starring Kathleen Turner. So, I did, the last week it was running in LA. I was knocked out by who Molly Ivins was, how she spoke and who she so brilliantly skewered. Both James and I could not believe there had never been anything done on Molly Ivins, so we jumped in full throttle, and here we are six-plus years later.”

Molly Ivins

A well-formulated documentary offers a view of a strong woman in a man’s world. She worked hard and bit hard at what she thought was unfair. Engel explains how she came to know this remarkable woman, “I also discovered on a much more personal level that both Molly and I shared a similar trajectory: a deep distrust of patriarchal authority and a need to stand up for the underdog. Her politics are my politics, and as her pal, Kaye Northcott so aptly says, ‘Molly hated anyone who would basically kick a cripple.’ Me too! Her rallying cry to ‘Raise Hell, that… this our deal, this is our country …that those people up in your state capitols, up in Washington, they’re just the people we’ve hired to drive the bus for a while,’ resonates deeply. She said, ‘If you don’t vote, you can’t bitch, that’s in article 27…’ Ya think! That alone cemented our kinship and my overwhelming passion to share her story.”

The movie tells the story of a woman who changed through decades of working as a journalist – not only physically but spiritually. She worked hard, laughed hard, but I could tell her passion or mission in life had taken its toll. But still, her message resonates with me. We need to vote and hold our position in what we believe. As Engle stated, “I am grateful to be able to share Molly Ivins with her ‘beloveds’ but even more important, introducing to a hungry public who needs her humor, brilliance, and prescience. Molly Ivins challenges all of us to take personal responsibility for political and social issues that impact our lives. RAISE HELL: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins is a lightning rod to get involved in grassroots projects, local and national politics, and voter registration. If we want change, it starts with us.”

I couldn’t agree more. I highly recommend you see this movie about a strong, smart, and fascinating woman, who communicated what we all think about politics. Though I can’t entirely agree with all of her philosophy, I do agree with her passion. 

“As we continue her fight, let’s all remember her understanding of what works against the Powers-That-Be,” states Engle. 

“The best way to get the sons of bitches is to make people laugh at them.” – Molly Ivins

“Cold Case Hammarskjold” Documentary

documentary, ,

Danish director Mads Brügger and Swedish private investigator Göran Björkdahl attempt and solve the mysterious death of Dag Hammarskjöld. In 1961, United Nations secretary-general Dag Hammarskjöld’s plane mysteriously crashed, killing Hammarskjöld and all of the crew. The documentary offers the possibility of the assassination of the outspoken dignitary. 

During their investigation, they uncover a crime far worse than killing the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Though the documentary might sound appealing, it is long and arduous to get through because the filmmaker lacks substance to make the movie enjoyable. 

However, Cold Case Hammarskjold had its world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and is the winner of the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award. 

The documentary uses two black women as secretaries, typing Brugger’s script or narrative. For the audience, this is quite confusing because the timeline is convoluted with two different typists. The filmmaker doesn’t explain why he does this until the end of the movie.

He tries to add humor to dire situations, which fall flat and add no meaning to the story. 

Around midnight on September 18, 1961, a small plane flying over a remote part of Central Africa crashed, killing all 16 people on board, including then-U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld who was en route to negotiations for a cease-fire in the ongoing Congo Crisis. 

The accident was officially blamed on pilot error. However, rumors have persisted for decades that it was a well-planned assassination. But who wanted Hammarskjöld dead, and why? 

Swedish private investigator Göran Björkdahl and Mads Brügger

With the twists and turns of an elegantly plotted murder mystery and the intrigue of an international espionage thriller, Cold Case Hammarskjöld winds its way through three continents and almost seven years of investigative reporting. Director Mads Brügger and his colleague, private investigator Göran Björkdahl, follow a series of ever-more-startling leads, red herrings, misdirection, and dead ends. They uncover evidence that puts them on the trail of a story more bizarre than they ever imagined. 

From Zambia and South Africa to the U.K., the U.S., Russia, Spain, and beyond, Brügger conducted an estimated 50 interviews with witnesses both central and peripheral to the tale, leading him into a continually widening maze. Known for his offbeat journalistic style, the filmmaker deadpans, “At first, I just enjoyed the idea of two middle-aged Scandinavian men setting out to uncover a conspiracy to kill the Secretary-General of the United Nations. What could go wrong there?”Using vintage news footage and photos as well as exclusive interviews and archival documents, Brügger unveils a journey in which answers only create more questions. What is the meaning of the mysterious playing card found intact on Hammarskjöld’s partially scorched body? Why was an unassuming young marine biologist murdered? What did witnesses see in the sky that night? Could it all be an elaborate hoax perpetrated by an eccentric, highly skilled propagandist? 

Danish director Mads Brügger with a local

 “For me, Dag Hammarskjöld was most of all a ticket to all the things I really enjoy,” Brügger admits in the film. “Tracking down Belgian mercenaries, telling tales of evil men who dress in white, the ace of spades found at crime scenes, rumors about secret societies. This is why I went along for the ride, not really knowing where it would lead. For almost seven years, Göran and I worked a murder case. But we never dreamed that we were on the verge of discovering a kind of horror that would put my shenanigans to shame.” 

Their discovery mildly shocking but has enough push to keep you interested in the movie without giving all the details of the storyline. The documentary falls flat in the end because the story doesn’t seem to arch fully but stays flat throughout the movie. Perhaps, South Africans will find this movie more exciting.

“The Gospel According to Andre” Defies Fashion Boundaries

documentary, true story, ,

Directed by Kate Novack, the documentary The Gospel According to Andre is about Andre Leon Talley life. A fixture in the world of fashion for so long, it’s difficult to imagine a time when he wasn’t defining the boundaries of great style.

I found the movie as an intimate portrait that took me on an emotional journey from Andre’s roots growing up in the segregated Jim Crow South to become one of the most influential fashion and trend curators of our times.

Novack’s movie is fascinating as she explores between the elegance of André’s beloved grandmother and the Black Church of his youth and his work at publications like Women’s Wear Daily, W, and Vogue. The documentary shares a wealth of archival footage from moments in fashion history while noting André’s life and career.

Novack’s grandfather was in the dress business, and she visited his factory in Lowell, Massachusetts. “So, fashion was kind of in my DNA. I’d seen Andre in so many fashion documentaries—I think that my last count was fourteen. And he wasn’t just in them. He had these scene-stealing roles. But they always had the feel of a performance.”

“Andre talks about a hymn that he always loved in church, that still brings him to tears, called ‘Precious Memories.’ I listened to that song, and it was so moving. It’s about the way that memory can act as a sustaining force. That was really the entry point and the vision, and that song now plays a prominent role in the film.”

The Gospel According to Andre is Novack’s first attempt at solo directing. “It just felt like the right story at the right moment. It felt like a moment where the story of this African American man—because, in many ways, I view the movie as being as much about one African American man’s experience in America as it is about fashion—was important and urgent. There’s a line from Eboni at the beginning of the movie about how Andre is a legend in mainstream culture, and he’s also a tall Black man in America from the American South and that there would always be great tension there. That really became an organizing principle in the film.”

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Dustin Pittman/Penske Media/REX/Shutterstock (6905689a) Paloma Picasso and Rafael Lopez-Sanchez talk to Andre Leon Talley in the front row during a benefit runway show of Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, held at Christies. Chloe Benefit Fashion Show at Christies, New York

Andre saw the movie, and his first impression was elation, being with friends and viewing images. “Kate threaded the narratives through the sophisticated research she had done. Her research is phenomenal! She had gone back and researched, contextually, my life story from its humble beginnings all the way to Brown, my theses and reviews from when I went to Paris and the great shows of Yves Saint Laurent in 1978.”

Andre explains how it “was an enchantment, but, at the same time, an experience that I would consider—I’m not a vain person—microscopic.”

Mandatory Credit: Photo by John Bright/Penske Media/REX/Shutterstock (6906729e) Singer and actress Diana Ross in a full ruffled skirt dancing with Andre Leon Talley at a New Year’s Eve party at Studio 54 in New York New Year’s Eve at Studio 54, New York

“A documentary is meant to be truthful, and it is Kate’s story, it is definitely her story, but, being so creative in my life, and an editor, I would have, in hindsight, made a contract to have a full make-up artist on hand at all times. Having come from the world of Vogue, part of the armor is that you are professionally groomed and, on a cold, bitter morning in North Carolina, that was just me coming out and I… would have had a makeup artist.”

Despite showing Andre without makeup meant he is who he is. “I opened my heart, and I opened my life, and I opened my home, and I opened my history and opened all my friends. The people that are in the doc are the people that are of great value to my life.”

“Tickle” an Uncanny Documentary

documentary

Co-directed by David Farrier and Dylan Reeves, the documentary Tickled formulated when Farrier stumbled upon a bizarre “competitive endurance tickling” video online. He saw young men paid to be tied up and tickled.

As a reporter, Farrier reached out and requested a story about the company. He receives a staggering replay where he is mocked about his sexual orientation and threatened extreme legal action if he digs any deeper into the company.

Unlike most journalists, he decides not to confront the issue, circumvents, and travels to the hidden tickling facilities in Los Angeles. There he uncovers a vast empire, known for harassing and harming the lives of those who protest their involvement in these films.

© 2015 A Ticklish Tale Limited

The more he investigates, the stranger it gets. He discovers secret identities and criminal activity. It becomes an obsession for him where he must discover the truth, despite increasingly malevolent threats and warnings.

Keeping with the humor of the situation and determination, Farrier and co-director Reeve gather all the resources available to get to the bottom of this tickling instances.

Recently, Farrier shared his story, “It started as most stories start: A friend emailed me a link to something interesting on the Internet. In this case: Competitive Endurance Tickling. It was strange from the outset, but as I began talking with the organizers, things rapidly spiraled out of control. A whole new world opened up in front of me – a world of tickling and laughter, but also lawsuits and danger.”

Farrier came under attack including private investigators and lawyers in New Zealand and the United States. “I soon came to realize this wasn’t just a story about tickling: It was about power and control.”

© 2015 A Ticklish Tale Limited

On his journey to uncover the truth, “I met characters I could hardly believe were real.”

Farrier refers to the cheerful professional who tickles others as a full-time job, the obsessed journalist who dedicated years of his life to uncovering the truth, and the young athlete who had his life derailed by a force he never saw coming. “Like me, these individuals all stumbled into the world of tickling with a slight naivety, but came to understand its complexity first-hand.”

Co-director Reeve tells his story of why he became involved in the documentary. He describes how he first saw David’s strange interaction with Jane O’Brien Media on Facebook. “My attention was grabbed. It was an unbelievable response to a very tame interview request, and clearly, something just wasn’t right.”

Reeve is referring to online bullying. “As we started to see evidence of the campaigns of harassment and abuse, I felt that we had no choice but to expose what was happening.”

© 2015 A Ticklish Tale Limited

They used the power of storytelling as the weapon to go against the bullying. “It was something I felt strongly that we had to do, whatever the consequences may be. Although at that stage I still had no idea what would come,” explains Reeve.

“The twists and turns we uncovered in chasing the story were at times exciting, alarming, surprising, scary and hilarious. We never quite knew what was real and what was fake. Were we being played? Was that car following us? Did Jane know where we were? Were we going to end up in court? We never quite knew what was around the corner.”

The end result is something both directors feel proud to have made. “I hope that is both informative and entertaining, but above all, I hope that it can actually make a difference – that the film might prevent further harassment in the future for guys who’ve done nothing wrong,” concludes Reeve.