WHY ARE YOU MAKING THIS FILM?
Because the women in this story are extraordinary and have a story that deserves to be told. With very few resources, these women challenged the power of a man (and an institution) who had shaped their entire lives. They often felt alone and afraid of the repercussions of challenging power. But as just one result of their courage, Bill Gothard is no longer at the head of IBLP.
All abuse fragments, paralyzes, and isolates. We know there are millions of survivors of abuse across America. And while there have been dozens of revelatory, confessional, and important documentary films that center on the character, motives, and drama of the perpetrators of abuse, very few delve into the aftermath of the survivors, and even fewer focus on the intricate and intimate process of recovery.
We have been told countless times by survivors that no one seems to care what happens after; that all of the focus and attention is placed on the perpetrator, and the drama of evil. What comes next, for the survivor, is messy, complicated, and extremely difficult.
We believe this film might help countless victims feel less alone, less powerless, and able to see that recovery from the darkest, most intimate trauma is possible.
WHEN WILL UNTIL THE TRUTH BE COMPLETE?
Filmed over the past four years, we have committed to tracing the journey of recovery over a long span of time. This is because recovery takes time. However, our goal is to wrap production this year, for a 2024 release.
WHERE CAN I WATCH IT?
We do not yet have a distribution partner for the film. It has been important for us to focus on the story, production, and to maintain a trauma-informed approach, and so have self-funded the production to this point. We are now raising funds to complete the production and are open to distribution conversations.
HOW CAN I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT?
If you are interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to the project you can do so by donating here.
If you would like to discuss an equity investment in the production, reach out to us direct at info@untilthetruth.com.
Note: Proceeds from the documentary will be used to fund resources for survivors of abuse in conjunction with organizations like The Allender Center.
WHAT IS TRAUMA-INFORMED FILMMAKING?
Trauma-informed storytelling incorporates several key principles that are a part of our production process:
Safety: We work to create a safe and supportive filming and interview environment for our story subjects. This includes ensuring physical and emotional safety, providing options for participation, and clarifying and respecting boundaries.
Empowerment: We work to ensure that story subjects know they have agency over their own narratives. Stories can be shared on their own terms and in ways that feel comfortable to each person. This involves giving individuals choices about how, when, and where they share their experiences, as well as options for layers of confidentiality.
Sensitivity & Awareness: We acknowledge the potential triggers and retraumatization that can occur when discussing traumatic experiences, and establish a unique pace and framework appropriate to each story subject.
Resilience and Healing: We also recognize the potential for resilience and healing that can come from sharing and listening to stories. The opportunity for individuals to process their experiences, find support, and build connections with others who may have had similar experiences can itself be empowering and healing.
Over the past 20 years, we have filmed stories of trauma and its aftermath around the globe. These stories have come out of our world’s most horrific atrocities: genocide, child soldiers, sex trafficking, and the pervasive effects of poverty. In our work, we have collaborated with survivors to ensure that the telling of their stories honors their paths toward healing.
ARE YOU AWARE OF THE AMAZON SERIES “SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE”?
Yes, we have known of the Amazon production since it began and have been rooting them on behind the scenes. Our production differs in that it has been longer in production and focuses more on the aftermath and journey of recovery after abuse. We (mutually) feel that their series and our feature documentary are important stories to tell and can co-exist.
WHO IS THE TEAM BEHIND UNTIL THE TRUTH?
SEAN DIMOND: CO-DIRECTOR/WRITER. Sean has over 15 years of experience in international, cause-oriented filmmaking and global advocacy campaigns that have impacted millions across the world. He has worked on both short-form and feature documentaries that have been screened on multiple continents. For over 10 years, Sean’s focus was telling stories and leading international campaigns to empower communities in the aftermath of trauma. He was also part of a two-year masters-level program at the Seattle School, which included psychological training in healing from abuse.
JOHN HARRISON: CO-DIRECTOR/DP/EDITOR. As a cinematographer, John has shot films that have screened in the world’s most prestigious film festivals and won numerous awards, including an Oscar Nomination, two Student Academy Awards, and a Special Jury Award at SXSW. In 2008 he graduated from the University of Southern California’s film production program (MFA) and has since worked as cinematographer, director, and editor on independent documentary productions worldwide.
LAURA KASINOF: PRODUCER/WRITER. Laura is an award-winning investigative journalist and author of Don’t Be Afraid of the Bullets: An Accidental War Correspondent in Yemen, a chronicle of her time reporting for the New York Times from Yemen during the Arab Spring. In addition, she has reported from a dozen countries across Europe, the Middle East and East Africa for the Guardian, Slate, the Atlantic, Harper’s and many more publications and has received a citation from the Overseas Press Club for best international magazine story in 2018.
AARON BOYD: PRODUCER. Aaron Boyd is a Los Angeles-based film and television producer. Aaron served as Director of Development for Centropolis Entertainment (STARGATE, INDEPENDENCE DAY) and during his tenure was instrumental in the development and production of Columbia Pictures’ THE PATRIOT (Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger), Warner Bros. EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS (Scarlett Johannson), 20th Century Fox’s THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW (Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid), and Lionsgate’s TRADE (Kevin Kline). Additionally, he developed and co-produced the Warner Bros. feature 10,000BC (Steven Strait, Omar Shariff) and the box-office success 2012 (John Cusack, Woody Harrelson) for Sony Pictures. Since his departure from Centropolis he has produced several films including the award-winning PBS feature documentary LAST WILL & TESTAMENT (Vanessa Redgrave, Mark Rylance), and the critically-acclaimed, and Spirit Award nominee COLUMBUS (John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Sundance 2017).