‘FIST BUMP’ (Slamdance 2025) The exploration of accusation, advocacy, and awareness.

slamdance logoFIST BUMP

Fist Bump

Filmmaker Madeleine Farley‘s Slamdance 2025 documentary FIST BUMP tells the story of Marcus Knight, a young, musical theatre-loving autistic man who becomes embroiled in a shocking firestorm of controversy. After receiving a full scholarship to Saddleback College in 2016, several students accused him of inappropriate behavior for fist bumping and taking selfies.

The film jumps right into the absurdity of the allegations. Farley shows and reads the letters from the Saddleback administration. You will find yourself screaming profanities at the screen.

Marcus’ extended family, caregivers, friends, teachers, and advocates speak on his behalf. Pictures, interviews, and videos show the adoration that follows Marcus everywhere he goes. Flooded with praise and awards his entire life, he was on an extraordinary trajectory until he entered Saddleback College.

Lee Burdette Williams, executive director for the College Autism Network and former Dean of Students at Wheaton College, alongside
Marcus’s attorney delves into the legal and moral issues of not just Marcus’ case but nationally. It tears down the egregious behavior of colleges and universities motivated by discrimination and fear of public backlash. It’s gross. The film flips Title IX on its head, exposing the failures within the system.

Fist Bump Still 2 Aurora Knight and Marcus Knight Photo Courtesy of Unlimited Pictures Limited and Oh Come On Productions

As a mother of a 9-year-old boy with autism,  FIST BUMP shook my soul. It is irrational behavior from other people that I fear most. Most parents of children with a disability will agree with the sentiment. You learn you have to be an unwavering advocate for your child. In telling Marcus’ birth story, you might begin to understand the unrelenting gaslighting. Like Marcus, my son was hyperlexic and performed complex equations at age two. Autism does not stop children from being extraordinary. Marcus’ mother, Aurora, is a hero. She is a shining example of activism and unconditional love.

“Waving Through A Window” is a song Marcus repeatedly sings in the film. If you know anything about the musical Dear Evan Hansen, you understand the emotional gut punch of this specific number. There is a theory that Evan’s character is autistic. The show’s plot revolves around miscommunication and the events that unfold due to the desire to fit in. It is a striking and impactful inclusion.

A solid companion watch, Life, Animated, takes a similar concept, but instead of music, it was Disney films that helped Owen Suskind initiate communication with his family. FIST BUMP is a nuanced example of the treatment of any individual with disabilities. The judgment, the outright dismissal, and the fear are heartbreaking. I encourage studios with a wide reach, like PBS, to see FIST BUMP and ensure it is witnessed by the masses. It is vital viewing.

Fist Bump TEASER TRAILER:

 

USA | 2024 | Documentary | 60 min | Color

in English

Slamdance Screening:
Saturday, 2/22 @ 6:15pm
LA Times Theatre, Quixote Studios
 

Director/DP Madeleine Farley

Producers Claire Best, Madeleine Farley

Co-Producer Joel Plotch

Executive Producer Claire Best

Writer/Researcher Claire Best

Editor Joel Plotch

Sound Designer Martin Kloiber

Composer Thomas Schobel


FIST BUMP is the story of Marcus Knight, an astounding success story: a talented and charismatic bi-racial young adult with autism and cerebral palsy who pursues his dream career of a life on Broadway. As a college freshman, he’s accused of sexual harassment from a friendly fist bump and selfies. He must fight to prove his innocence and piece together his shattered ambitions.

For more Slamdance coverage, click here!

 

slamdance small logoABOUT SLAMDANCE

Established in 1995 by a wild bunch of filmmakers who were tired of relying on a large, oblique system to showcase their work, Slamdance has consistently discovered new and emerging talent that shapes our cultural future. The artist-led organization lives and breathes its mantra; by filmmakers, for filmmakers. 

In 2024, Slamdance will celebrate its 31st Festival in Los Angeles, California from February 20-26 and virtually on the Slamdance Channel from February 24 to March 7.

In addition to the festival, Slamdance serves artists with several year-round programs, including its Screenplay Competition, DIG (Digital, Interactive & Gaming), an accessible education initiative called Polytechnic and Unstoppable, a showcase of works made by creators with visible and non-visible disabilities. 

In collaboration with alumni Anthony and Joe Russo and their AGBO production company, Slamdance recently presented its first DTLA Summer Showcase in 2024 involving five multi-faceted and accessible media programs in support of new artists.

Notable Slamdance alumni include The Russo Brothers (Avengers: Endgame), Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer), Lynn Shelton (Little Fires Everywhere), Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard), the Safdie Brothers (Uncut Gems), Marina Zenovich (LANCE), Lena Dunham (Girls), Sean Baker (Red Rocket), Rian Johnson (Knives Out), Bong Joon Ho (Parasite), Merawi Gerima (Residue) and Andrew Patterson (The Vast of Night), Natasha Ofili (Creed III), and Julio Palacio (Makayla’s Voice: A Letter To The World).

Slamdance’s mission is to function as an agent of change in filmmaking and digital media, helping to make the creative works of artists with divergent voices accessible to everyone.

‘THE MISSING (Fantasia 2024) Beautiful digital rotoscope animation unfolds a genre-defying film.

Fantasia 2024 logoTHE MISSING

The Missing poster

Eric has a well-paying job as an animator, a crush on a co-worker, and harbors a secret. Filmmaker director Carl Joseph Papa brings Fantasia 2024 audiences his third feature-length animated film, THE MISSING. Hindering Eric’s new romance are the memories triggered after discovering his estranged uncle dead. Can Eric finally find his voice? 

The_Missing_02The longer Eric waits to tell his loved ones, the stranger his life gets. An alien threatens to take him back to outer space. He is losing time, and his body parts are falling off. This aspect is particularly upsetting because he is literally missing his mouth. This creative metaphor becomes the backbone of THE MISSING. 

Digital Rotoscope adult animation often has a heavy feel. In the last 20 years, films like A Scanner Darkly (which blew my mind in 2006), The Spine of Night, and The Peasants give audiences a similar vibe. It is undoubtedly a cinematic wonder, drawing your eye to places you might not otherwise look had filmmakers shot on digital or even traditional film. There is a beauty that harkens back somewhere between Henri Matisse and Disney. 

The_Missing_04I wasn’t aware that I grew up on Rotoscope films before doing a quick Google search. Some of my most beloved childhood films fall into the genre- The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Secret of NIMH (1982), and Anastasia (1997). First introduced in 1918, I had no idea the process was so old. THE MISSING stylistically mirrors The Spine of the Night rather than Alice In Wonderland. 2D animation illustrates Eric’s childhood memories in a stunning visual contrast that serves a dual purpose. The choice to childishly scribble over Uncle’s face speaks volumes. It is a visually captivating film. 

Carlo Aquino is esquisite as Eric. The vulnerability that flows from Aquino without dialogue is astonishing. What a star. Backed up by the extraordinary duo of Dolly De Leon and Gio Gahol, THE MISSING is a uniquely crafted metaphor for unresolved trauma. It’s a poignant exploration of abuse, grief, and healing, and a creative catharsis.

Remaining Screenings of THE MISSING:

Sun August 04, 2024
5:15 PM
 

OFFICIAL SELECTION

Annecy International Animation Festival 2024
Palm Springs International Film Festival 2024
International Film Festival Rotterdam 2024
Osaka Asian Film Festival 2024
Queer East Festival 2024

HONORS

Best Supporting Actress for Dolly de Leon – Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2023

Philippines’ submission to the 96th Academy Awards

Best Film – Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival 2023

NETPAC Award – Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival 2023

For all things Fantasia 2024, click here!

Fantaspoa 2021 review: ‘Röckët Stähr’s Death of a Rockstar’ vibrates with great music and message.

Fantaspoa 2021

Röckët Stähr’s Death of a Rockstar

In the year 2164, when rock n roll is banned, a group of underground rebels, lead by a mad scientist, attempt to start a non-violent revolution by waking up the docile masses via a cloned rockstar sent on a guerrilla tour to “rock n roll them free from the tyranny”. But they soon find out, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

Fantaspoa 2021 featured a massive lineup of great genre films. Röckët Stähr’s Death of a Rockstar is probably my favorite. Goosebumps immediately exploded up and down my arms as the soundtrack rocked me to my core. The colorful, throwback animation (reminiscent of The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine”) and subtitled lyrics scrawling across the screen in real-time, make your heart skip a beat. I had forgotten what it was like to experience the joy of a live concert. And even though this is a film, the energy feels alive. This is a rock opera for the ages.

It’s unafraid to “stick it to the man” as it overflows with social commentary. Set in a world where freedom of expression has been stifled by the marriage of religion and government. Sound familiar? Its messaging includes, “Art will save the world”, and “History is doomed to repeat itself.” But it’s also a love story, a commentary on mental health, violence, and the media. This film is a little bit of everything and it’s brilliant. I want to see this on Broadway. I want to see shadow casts perform this at midnight screenings. The music is eclectic. It’s got John Cameron Mitchell vibes, Rocky Horror sexiness, and even a touch of Monty Python humor. It deserves to be watched with an audience. It’s an epic animated rock concert bursting with pop culture references. This film kicks so much ass I need everyone to experience it so we can party together.  It will have you on your feet, dancing and grinning like a fool. Röckët Stähr’s Death of a Rockstar is destined for cult status.


Brazil’s long-running Fantaspoa Fantastic Film Festival celebrated its seventeenth edition online and completely free of charge. The 2021 edition of the beloved South American genre festival was supported by a special grant from the Brazilian government, which is offered to relevant cultural events amidst the pandemic. Running through April 18th, the seventeenth edition of Fantaspoa featured more than 100 shorts and 50 feature films from more than 35 countries. All festival screenings had a cap of 3,000 views, and all were geo-blocked to Brazilian viewers.

The film was part of Fantaspoa 2021, which ran for free on the streaming platform Darkflix, from April 9th through the 18th. All film screenings were geo-blocked to Brazil.

Additional details are available at www.fantaspoa.com.

Sony Announces Animated Spider-Man Movie from Phil Lord and Chris Miller!

Spiderman

Sony Pictures has announced that a new animated Spider-Man movie is in the works and they have signed Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The LEGO Movie) to direct. The announcement was made by Tom Rothman, chairman of the Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, at CinemaCon, where he commented that Lord and Miller, who will also be writing the treatment and producing the filmwould be “taking Spider-Man back to his graphic roots with the first-of-its-kind animated Spider-Man feature.”

Rothman also stated that the animated film will exist independently of the projects in the live-action Spider-Man universe, all of which are continuing.

The animated film from Lord & Miller, will be released on July 20, 2018 with  Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal all serving as producers.