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.
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.
USA | 2024 | Documentary | 60 min | Color
in English
Slamdance Screening:Saturday, 2/22 @ 6:15pmLA 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!
ABOUT 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
The 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. 
I 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. 
You must be logged in to post a comment.