what (not) to doc

Now in theatres and on Netflix:
FYRE: THE GREATEST PARTY THAT NEVER HAPPENED

Director:
Chris Smith

Premiere:
Netflix (January 18, 2019)

About:
An inside look at the infamous 2017 music festival debacle.

Smith’s film, which opened at NYC’s IFC Center and was released on Netflix last Friday, is one of two parallel docs on the same event. Hulu’s FYRE FRAUD launched a pre-emptive, press-grabbing stunt by unexpectedly being released last Monday, not-so-coincidentally the day the press embargo for Netflix’s film was lifted. While both films cover the same story – and even include some of the same interview subjects – they take slightly different approaches that make them both worthwhile. FRAUD has direct access to the key fraudster, organizer Billy McFarland in new interviews, and does a more comprehensive job of articulating his history of scams and fraudulent behavior, while also offering a broader consideration of the phenomenon of social media influencers, resulting in a more nuanced and layered project. Smith’s FYRE benefits from the participation of a range of Fyre’s employees and associates, including local Bahamians negatively impacted by the experience, as well as jaw-dropping insider footage of the company’s and McFarland’s activities, including the convicted felon coaching shady associates through new scams – personal footage that he himself arranged to be recorded for no conceivably sensible reason. Both docs thankfully rise above a simple repeat of the schadenfreude that greeted Fyre Festival’s implosion to instead offer a thoughtful autopsy of the event, an exploration of the unethical practices of its organizers, and a consideration of the culpability of its enablers.

New to DVD and VOD this week:
UNTOUCHABLE (2016)

Director:
David Feige

Premiere:
Tribeca 2016

Select Festivals:
New Orleans, Cleveland, Tallinn Black Nights, Miami, Cork, Berkshire, Antenna Doc, Big Sky Doc, Maryland, Stockholm, Milwaukee,

About:
An exploration of the impact of sex offender legislation.

In the wake of high-profile cases of kidnapping, rape, and murder of children, such as the Jacob Wetterling case, tough laws were passed against sex offenders, including the development of a sex offender registry for use by law enforcement. Over time, that registry was opened up to the public, and punishments increased, such that now, many individuals convicted as sex offenders are basically punished for life, restricted in their movements and places of residence, and ostracized by communities and employers due to their placement on the registry. The problem, as pointed out in Feige’s even-handed, disturbing film, is that the laws are often so broadly defined that the same registry is used for serial predators as for teenagers sexting. Further, despite popular and legal opinion that tough punishments are necessary because of high rates of recidivism, these are not based on scientific fact; studies instead demonstrate that recidivism rates are remarkably low, and that existing restrictive laws do not make any noticeable difference. Feige profiles several individuals caught up in the system, including habitual pedophiles and individuals who made a mistake or were convicted on technicalities, as well as victims and families of victims who have been part of lobbying efforts to punish those who would hurt those who prey on children. While in no way condoning the abuse of children, the film asks tough questions about a one-size-fits-all system of punishment and society’s blinders when it comes to fact-checking common-sense conclusions not borne out by science.