During a press conference on Monday with Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Chris Bailey, Mears announced that Sanchez was facing a level 5 felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury charge. The new charge carries a potential sentence of up to six years in prison.

Sanchez was initially facing misdemeanor charges — for alleged battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication — but once they learned more about the victim’s current medical condition, Mears said “it became clear to us that additional charges needed to be filed.”

The Associated Press reported that a police affidavit alleges Sanchez, smelling of alcohol, aggressively approached a 69-year-old truck driver who had backed into a hotel’s loading docks in downtown Indianapolis. This allegedly led to a confrontation between them outside the vehicle at around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, prompting the truck driver to pull out a knife to defend himself.

“We are literally talking about people fighting over a parking space and/or a dispute about where people are parking, and it resulted in someone receiving just incredibly significant injures,” Mears said on Monday.

The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that both men received medical treatment, with Fox Sports PR sharing later on Saturday that Sanchez was “recovering in the hospital in stable condition.” He remained hospitalized as of Monday morning.

The Associated Press reported that the former New York Jets quarterback was pepper-sprayed and stabbed multiple times during the incident and the truck driver was cut on his cheek, according to court records.

“This was a situation that did not need to occur,” the prosecutor added. “The allegations involve a 38-year-old man becoming involved in an altercation with a 69-year-old man who sustained significant and very severe injuries as a result of that altercation.”

Authorities did not share whether the truck driver might also face charges.

THR has reached out to Fox Sports and Sanchez’s reps for comment.

The broadcaster was in Indianapolis for Sunday’s game between the Colts and Las Vegas Raiders.

THR recently spoke with Sanchez’s wife, Perry Mattfeld, who stars opposite Glen Powell in the sports-comedy series Chad Powers. At the time, she said the former NFL player shared some of his professional insight with writers on the show. “Mark was definitely able to consult with me quite a bit on some of my lines,” Mattfeld said. “I have to give him some credit; some of his lines made it in terms of my improv or things that he had given me. (Laughs.) But he did spend some time in the writers room giving some insight not only about his NFL career, but college as well.”

Since celebrating its world premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, East of Wall has been a favorite among audiences and critics alike. The film nabbed the highly sought-after Audience Award at Sundance in the NEXT section and also enjoyed a well-received follow-up screening later in the year at the Tribeca Film Festival. Meanwhile, on Rotten Tomatoes, critics can’t get enough of the grief-driven drama, hailing it with an impressive 94% approval rating. Check out the extended look at East of Wall above and find it on digital today.

Release Date

August 15, 2025

Runtime

97 minutes

Director

Kate Beecroft

Writers

Kate Beecroft

Producers

Lila Yacoub

Kate Beecroft

Tabatha Zimiga

Porshia Zimiga

Porshia Zimiga

Hollywood couple Justin Long and Kate Bosworth play a Hollywood couple besieged by coyotes in the snarling new trailer for the horror film Coyotes.

There’s an undercurrent of social satire and good old fashioned resentment of the beautiful people in the latest from Colin Minihan (Grave Encounters). And this is a creature feature we we aren’t necessarily supposed to root for the humans.

“Eat the Rich” is the tagline of the film’s poster. (You can watch the trailer here if you don’t see it above.)

Residents and casual visitors to the Hollywood Hills know that coyotes are indeed an issue. Dog walkers in Runyon Canyon know that they may need to scoop up smaller pups at the sound of coyote shrieks that often arrives with the twilight.

Hungry coyotes have been known to make eerie appearances in dense urban areas, when L.A. is at its most quiet and dark.

And, as the film notes, even pet owners on residential streets, at perfectly normal hours, need to be on the lookout for coyotes.

But like another new comedy about the haves, Aziz Ansari’s guardian-angel, trading-places tale Good Fortune, the Hollywood Hills serve as a metaphorical shorthand for people who seem to be above it all.

In Coyotes, Long and Bosworth think they they’re safe in their chic home on a hill, but the coyotes want what’s been taken from them, back in the days when only they stalked the land.

“They want your shelter, your food, your water, your sanity,” someone explains.

But the scariest line in the trailer comes from another character, who observes of the coyotes: “They can… open doors?”

We already love this silly movie.

Coyotes will premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 20, 2025, and arrives in theaters on October 3 via AURA Entertainment.

Main image: A coyote in Coyotes. AURA Entertainment.

Darren Aronofsky Caught StealingNiko Tavernise / © Sony Pictures Releasing / Courtesy Everett Collection

Caught Stealing is based on the violent crime novel of the same name, written by Charlie Huston in 2004, and was adapted for the screen by Huston. The film pays homage to the 1990s with iconic imagery and soundtrack. The movie got rave reviews, despite its poor performance at the box office, and is said to have kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Luckily, the crime thriller got a new lease on life as it was released on streaming services for those who couldn’t watch it in theaters. Caught Stealing received great reviews and has an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many hailing Austin Butler and Zoë Kravitz’s performances. The cast is quite impressive with even more notable names, including Regina King, Matt Smith, and artist Bad Bunny. Austin Butler is known for embracing method acting lately, with his most notable role being as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis (2022). Director Darren Aronofsky is known for his unusual films such as Requiem for a Dream (2000), Black Swan (2010), and Mother! (2017). His films are either destined for the Oscars or leave fans puzzled and unable to think of anything else for weeks. To fail at the box office isn’t uncommon, as streaming is taking over how people view movies. It appears as though Caught Stealing, unfortunately, fell casualty to this and didn’t meet expectations at the box office, but instead is finding new life by climbing the streaming charts since its digital release.

Release Date

August 29, 2025

Director

Darren Aronofsky

Writers

Charlie Huston

Producers

Ari Handel, Jeremy Dawson

Patreon CEO and co-founder Jack Conte, The All-American Rejects and PBS president Paula Kerger are among the announced programming. For this year’s fest, running March 12 to March 18, the conference, the film and TV festival and the music festival will run simultaneously over seven days.

Said Greg Rosenbaum, svp of programming for SXSW: “The programming we’re unveiling shows the incredible range of conversations that define SXSW — from how AI is reshaping creativity and business, to the future of media and marketing, to bold ideas on human connection. With refreshed badges, a new reservations system, and expanded crossover day, we’re making it easier for attendees to plan ahead, discover new ideas, and spark the kind of unexpected connections that define SXSW.”

Announced panels for the 2026 SXSW conference are below.

5 Non-Obvious Secrets of Human Connection (For Love & Profit): Rohit Bhargava (Non-Obvious Company Founder & Chief Trend Curator) shares five counterintuitive secrets for building authentic human connection in a tech-driven world.

5 Traits of Successful AI Projects: From Pilot to Real ROI: Sandy Carter (Chief Business Development Officer & COO, Unstoppable Domains) reveals the roadmap for turning AI pilots into scalable, ROI-driven successes.

Actionable Ikigai: Career Planning in the Age of AI: Join Mike Bechtel (Futurist, University of Notre Dame) as he explores how to apply the Japanese concept of ikigai to build meaningful careers in an AI-driven world.

A Conversation with The All-American Rejects: The All-American Rejects discuss their House Party Tour and how independent artists can build community-driven touring experiences outside traditional venues.

Amy Webb Launches 2026 Emerging Tech Trend Report: Renowned futurist Amy Webb (CEO, Future Today Strategy Group) unveils her annual forecast on the technologies set to shape the year ahead.

Breaking Through Barriers to Innovation: Lessons from Space and Earth: Dava Newman (Apollo Professor of Astronautics, MIT) reveals bold strategies for harnessing breakthroughs in AI, climate, energy, and space to drive transformative innovation.

A Conversation with Jack Conte: Join Jack Conte (CEO and co-founder, Patreon) for a discussion on the current state and future of the creator economy.

How CMOs are Rewriting the Rules of Connection: Lauren Stafford Webb (Chief Marketing Officer, SoFi), Brian Irving (Chief Marketing Officer, Lyft), and Allison Stransky (Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung Electronics America) join Axios reporter Eleanor Hawkins for a conversation on how today’s CMOs are using AI to supercharge growth in personalized experiences.

How to Design a Company That AI Can’t Outpace: Ian Beacraft (CEO, Signal and Cipher) explores how to future-proof organizations by building strategies AI can’t outrun.

The Latticework of Mental Models For a Great Life: Mohnish Pabrai (Founder and Managing Partner, Pabrai Investment Funds) explores the mental models that have guided his biggest decisions, sharing timeless lessons and new insights on building a successful and fulfilling life.

Make Your Own Wave – Russ & Andreea Gleeson on Independence: Russ (Artist/Author/Co-Founder, DIEMON) and Andreea Gleeson (Chief Executive Officer, TuneCore) discuss how independence, fan engagement, and alternative strategies fueled Russ’s global success.

Reclaiming Our Humanity in the Age of AI:Timnit Gebru (Founder & Executive Director, DAIR), John Palfrey (President, MacArthur Foundation), and journalist Karen Hao explore how to ensure AI serves people rather than controls them.

Social Media Masterclass 2026 with Ex-YouTube & Instagram Insider: Jon Youshaei (Founder, Youshaei Studios) reveals how great ideas fuel great content and social media success.

SuperJoost’s State of Play 2026: Joost van Dreunen (Video Games Professor, NYU & Co-Founder, ALDORA) delivers SXSW’s annual briefing on how games forecast the future of media, tech, and culture.

The Innovation Engine You’ve Never Heard of: Your Neighbor: André Zdanow (President, FirstBuild) shows how GE Appliances turned community co-creation, rapid failures, and crowdfunding into million-dollar product successes.

The Science of Scaling: Using Data to Decide When—and How Fast—to Scale Revenue: Mark Roberge (Co-Founder, Stage 2 Capital) discusses how startups and innovators can use data to determine when and how fast to scale sales.

Trusted, Valued, Essential: Why PBS is Here to Stay, With or Without Federal Funding: A fireside chat with Paula Kerger (President & CEO, PBS) on how funding cuts tested resilience, rallied communities, and proved PBS delivers what commercial media cannot.

Why Saying Yes to the Unthinkable Works: Raja Rajamannar (Chief Marketing Officer, Mastercard) reveals how bold ideas once dismissed as impossible became breakthrough successes, and why leaders should embrace unpolished thinking to spark real impact.

Also starring the recently Oscar-nominated America Ferrera, The Lost Bus is currently sitting at a “certified fresh” 87% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “Recreating a real-life disaster with terrifying authenticity, The Lost Bus ratchets up the tension while maintaining a humanist core thanks to Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera’s effective performances.” The Lost Bus is only the second live-action film that McConaughey has starred in since 2019’s The Gentlemen. This year, he also headlined The Rivals of Amziah King. You can watch The Lost Bus on Apple TV+ and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Release Date

October 3, 2025

Runtime

130 minutes

Director

Paul Greengrass

Writers

Paul Greengrass, Brad Ingelsby, Lizzie Johnson

Producers

Gregory Goodman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jason Blum, Brad Ingelsby

The frenetic teaser for Lynne Ramsay’s Die My Love finds Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattison prowling like lions, gibbering like apes, and fighting like humans.

To the tune of Shirley Ellis’ “The Clapping Song,” we see a once-strong chemistry collapse into rage, as the scenes on screen neatly sync with the lyrics until we come to the most disturbing — “The line broke/the monkey got choked”/And they all went to heaven in a little row-boat” — as Pattinson wraps his arm around Lawrence’s neck in a fit of passion.

No dialogue is spoken in the Die My Love teaser — unless you count Lawrence’s impassioned primate noises. But several plot points are laid very bare, as we see Lawrence writhing on a dance floor, licking glass, and staring at Pattinson with disdain. A knife offers a warning of bad things to come. (If you can’t see it above, you can watch the Die My Love teaser here.)

The film, which premiered at Cannes, has earned the Oscar-winning Lawrence some of the strongest reviews of her career. It is based on the novel Die My Love by Ariana Harwicz, a story of a woman struggling with post-partem depression.

Martin Scorsese, who produces the film, sent the film to Lawrence’s production company, Excellent Cadaver, because he envisioned her in the lead role.

That led to Lawrence agreeing to star in the film, and Ramsay — the Scottish director whose films include You Were Never Really Here and We Need to Talk About Kevin — signing on as director.

The film also stars Nick Nolte, LaKeith Stanfield and Sissy Spacek.

Die, My Love arrives in theaters November 7 from MUBI.

Editor’s Note: Corrects spelling of Ramsay.

Stephen King Often Shares His Takes On Adaptations Of His Novels

Stephen King on Good Morning AmericaImage by INSTARimages.com

King is not shy about sharing his takes on the various movie and TV adaptations of his novels. He famously disliked Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, though he says that – with the help of 2019’s Doctor Sleep – he has gained more of an appreciation for it. Meanwhile, he’s praised the likes of Brian De Palma’s Carrie, Stand By Me, Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, both the TV and movie adaptations of IT, and more. We weren’t able to find a comment from King on the most recent adaptation of his, The Long Walk, but the SR team feels it’s one of his best of the 21st century. The first adaptation of The Running Man from 1987, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, is one that King does not like. The author said that the movie “doesn’t have much in common with the novel at all, except the title.”
2025 Is The Year Of Stephen King

The cast of The Long Walk

Hollywood has been on a Stephen King kick this year. To date, adaptations of King’s The Monkey, The Life of Chuck, and The Long Walk have all been released in movie theaters. All of them have been praised by critics, though the box office success hasn’t been as pronounced.

2025 Stephen King Movies

Rotten Tomatoes Score

Worldwide Box Office

The Monkey

77%

$68.8 million

The Life of Chuck

80%

$18.3 million

The Long Walk

88%

$39.5 million

The Running Man, the fourth and final adaptation of a Stephen King novel in 2025, will hope to continue the critical success, while also scoring the biggest box office haul of the group.

Cross wrote a rather scathing open letter denouncing performers at the event, who are reportedly being paid top dollar while agreeing to a set of censorious guidelines regarding what they can and cannot joke about onstage.

The festival is being billed as “the world’s largest comedy festival” and includes more than 50 comedians — including Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Jimmy Carr, Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson, Whitney Cummings and Andrew Schulz.

But the Arrested Development and Mr. Show star did not hold back in his assessment of the situation.

“I am disgusted, and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing,” wrote Cross on his website. “That people I admire, with unarguable talent, would condone this totalitarian fiefdom for … what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?

“We can never again take seriously anything these comedians complain about (unless it’s complaining that we don’t support enough torture and mass executions of journalists and LGBTQ peace activists here in the states, or that we don’t terrorize enough Americans by flying planes into our buildings),” Cross continued. “I mean that’s it; you have a funny bit about how you don’t like Yankee Candles or airport lounges? Okay great, but you’re cool with murder and/or the public caning of women who were raped, and by having the audacity to be raped, were guilty of ‘engaging in adultery’? Got any bits on that?”

Cross added, “These are some of my HEROES! Now look, some of you folks don’t stand for anything so you don’t have any credibility to lose, but my god, Dave and Louie and Bill, and Jim? Clearly you guys don’t give a shit about what the rest of us think, but how can any of us take any of you seriously ever again? All of your bitching about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘freedom of speech’ and all that shit? Done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again. By now we’ve all seen the contract you had to sign. You’re performing for literally, the most oppressive regime on earth … This is truly the definition of ‘blood money’ … your hypocrisy will never not be noted.’”

Given the festival just started Friday, not too many who participated have yet spoken out, but Burr — who performed on opening night — has detailed his experience at the event on his podcast and defended the festival. “It was great to experience that part of the world and to be a part of the first comedy festival over there in Saudi Arabia,” said Burr, who described locals in the region as seeming “just like us.” “The royals loved the show. Everyone was happy … They want to see real stand-up comedy.’ Definitely top three experiences I’ve had. I think it’s going to lead to a lot of positive things.”

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka — who turned down the festival’s offer — posted the event’s contract online, which includes this bit: “ARTIST shall not prepare or perform any material that may be considered to degrade, defame or bring into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, embarrassment, or ridicule: A) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its leadership, public figures, culture or people; B) The Saudi royal family, legal system, or government, and; C) Any religion, religious tradition, religious figure or religious practice.”

Other comedians who have criticized the festival’s performers include WTF podcaster Marc Maron, who said, “I mean, how do you even promote that? You know, like, ‘From the folks that brought you 9/11. Two weeks of laughter in the desert, don’t miss it!’ I mean, the same guy that’s gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone saw [journalist] Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a fucking suitcase. But don’t let that stop the yucks, it’s gonna be a good time!”

Comic Shane Gillis also criticized the festival on his Secret Podcast after being offered “significant bag” to attend. “I took a principled stand. You don’t 9/11 your friends.”

Earlier this month, a federal judge in New York ruled that a lawsuit by the families of 9/11 victims could move forward against Saudi Arabia. The lawsuit accuses the kingdom of potential involvement in the 2001 terror attacks.

Davidson’s own firefighter father perished during 9/11, yet he is participating in the festival anyway. According to USA Today, during an appearance on Theo Von’s podcast, Davidson explained that he was swayed by the paycheck.

“I’ve been getting a little bit of flak just because my dad died (in) 9/11,” Davidson said. “So they’re like, ‘How could you possibly go there?’ … I get the [flight] routing, and then I see the number, and I go, ‘I’ll go.’”

One comic, Tim Dillon, said he was fired from the comedy festival for his comments before it began last Friday for a previous joke he made about the country using forced labor (Dillon says his manager told him: “They heard what you said about them having slaves. They didn’t like that.”) He also noted that his paycheck would’ve been $375,000 — which gives you some idea of how much far more famous headliner comedians are pulling down.  

Although he may be known for his horror leanings, del Toro has previously stated that Frankenstein will be a monster of a different color, revealing,
“Somebody asked me the other day: Does it have really scary scenes? For the first time, I considered that. It’s an emotional story for me. It’s as personal as anything. I’m asking a question about being a father, being a son… I’m not doing a horror movie — ever. I’m not trying to do that.”
Check out the monstrous design behind del Toro’s latest project above and see Frankenstein in select cinemas on October 17 ahead of its Netflix release on November 7.

Release Date

October 17, 2025

Runtime

149 Minutes

Producers

J. Miles Dale

The film looks at a few days at The Other Side Academy, where executive director Dave Durocher — who himself got sober after spending 27 years in and out of prison — guides participants with ironclad principles that stress honesty and accountability. 

The program isn’t a short-term rehab, but rather a therapeutic community where participants make at least a 30-month commitment to live on-site and make what the community calls a “commitment to a deeply rigorous process of personal change.”

Strikingly, the program works without accepting any money from the government, insurance companies, participants, or their families. Instead, they pay their way through jobs that include a moving business and thrift boutique. There are no medical professionals on-site: The progress is led by other people in recovery.

The film, which premiered in July at the Indy Shorts Film Festival, gives an up-close look at participants’ struggles — and successes. It provides a gritty, fly-on-the-wall approach to the minute-by-minute mechanics of the program, but also shows the work paying off, by bringing stability and peace to the people who take part.

Rekhi is an award-winning filmmaker who, after working in the camera department of the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou, was hired by one of the film’s stars, George Clooney, to shoot behind-the-scenes footage for Clooney’s directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Rekhi went on to produce the Independent Spirit Award-nominated Bomb the System and direct the SXSW Audience Award winner Waterborne, then spent five years at film finance company IM Global.

He returned to directing with The Ashram, a spiritual thriller starring Academy Award Winner Melissa Leo, Kal Penn, and Radhika Apte. His latest film, The Reunited States, a documentary executive produced by Van Jones and Meghan McCain, focused on healing American divisions and premiered on PBS in 2022. He is now in post-production on Last Man In Tower, based on Aravind Adiga’s book. 

We talked with Rekhi, Durocher and Joseph Grenny, an author of bestselling business books who co-founded The Other Side Academy after striking up a friendship with a Utah County Jail inmate who had read one of his books and was determined to turn his life around.

Grenny’s own family had dealt with the horror of addiction, so he brought firsthand knowledge of how hard it is to escape. 

Ben Rekhi, Joseph Grenny and Dave Burocher on The Other Side Academy and ‘The Breakthrough Group’

“Breakthrough Group” director Ben Rekhi, center, with The Other Side Academy founder Joseph Grenny, left, and executive director Dave Durocher. – Credit: Courtesy of “The Breakthrough Group”

MovieMaker: Ben, how did you become a filmmaker? What led you to this story?

Ben Rekhi: As a kid of the 90s, I started out making adventure and sci-fi films with my friends in our backyards. But after going to film school in New York, I came out producing and directing primarily indie dramas. I shifted into documentaries after 2016, to use cinema as a way to bridge divides across our divisions. A journalist I met along the way had written about the Other Side Academy, this powerful community that uses these intense interventions to give hope to  people who had all but given up on themselves. Their bold approach was producing real results. 

As someone who had struggled with addiction and depression myself, I reached out to Joseph and Dave and said “Hey, I think what you’re doing here can really help other people who are struggling.”  

MovieMaker: Joseph and Dave, how did you come to found a therapeutic community? What makes it different from a rehab clinic? 

Joseph Grenny: I felt it important to start The Other Side Academy because the current rehab system is deeply flawed. There is zero accountability for outcomes, no transparency, and frankly, a system that destroys hope by producing so many failures. There are good people in it, but it is a bad system. Then it hit close to home for me. 

First one, then another of our boys became addicted to drugs and began cycling through the criminal justice system. We got a closer view of how those who are arrested once almost inevitably get arrested again and again. It’s a perfect system for creating criminals. At the time, our boys had no interest in help from mom and dad. We decided if we couldn’t fight the battle we wanted, we’d get into the war. The Other Side Academy is the war.

Dave Durocher: I had spent 27 years in and out of prison for hardcore drug addiction, drug-dealing and gun-running. After a high-speed chase with the police ended that whole lifestyle for me, I wrote a letter to another therapeutic community,  Delancey Street in San Francisco, and they accepted me. 

So instead of doing another 22 year prison sentence, I stayed eight and a half years in a program that ended up being one of the best decisions I ever made. I was asked to manage it for the last five years I was there. 

Meanwhile Joseph had researched Delancey street for a book he was writing, and became fascinated at how effective it was at reducing recidivism. So when he decided he wanted to start something similar in Utah, he called and asked if I’d be interested in running it with him. Hence the birth of the Other Side Academy. 

MovieMaker: What makes it different than a rehab clinic?

Dave Durocher: Number one, we don’t take any money from the government, city, county, state, federal government, insurance, parents, nothing. Which is really important because in most treatment facilities, you have to leave the day the funding runs out. 30 day programs and have only a 3% success rate. At the Other Side Academy, we’re a minimum 30 months long, but you can stay longer. And the reason why you can stay longer is there’s no funding source attached to it. The longer you’re in treatment, the better your odds of success. You can stay until you’ve actually recalibrated your moral compass.

Screenshot

MovieMaker: What kind of person attends?

Joseph Grenny: Our average participant has been arrested 25 times and has had decades of drug abuse and criminal behavior. 

Dave Durocher: It’s the long-term drug addict, coupled with a criminal piece, so we know that’s a difficult population to help. Do we have people here that have never been incarcerated? Yes, but very few. The vast majority of people who come to us have been situationally homeless. In some cases, chronically homeless, long-term substance abuse issues and criminal behavior. That’s the profile of a student.

MovieMaker: With a documentary like this, you’re always balancing showing the benefits of a program like this with respecting the privacy of the patients. The last thing you want is for the added pressure of a film crew to contribute to a relapse. How did you make sure everyone was always comfortable on camera, and with the project as a whole?

Ben Rekhi: This was actually the most delicate aspect of making this film. We were interacting with people at very sensitive stages of recovery, and we’d never want our presence to have any adverse effects on their journey. Initially, that meant identifying people who were a little bit further into their stay, who had pushed through some of the hard times already and had more growth under their belt. 

Then, while filming with them, we were constantly asking “Is this OK?” or “Do you feel comfortable?” so that people had off-ramps if needed. To their credit, the students understood that the more honest and vulnerable they were, the more it would help and inspire other people. In a way, participating in the film became a way of giving back. Our guiding principle was always to portray stories of transformation in order to give hope to other people who are suffering. 

MovieMaker: What was the biggest challenge in making this film and how did you overcome it?

Ben Rekhi: The two major challenges were building trust for the shoot and staying honest in the edit. There’s a great deal of trust that has to be earned between filmmaker and subject, so in the initial stages, I took a couple of trips to the Academy by myself without a camera or crew. I ate meals with everyone. I went along with people to work. I slept at the facility. 

It was important to me that Joseph, Dave, and the students could spend uninterrupted time with me to understand my intentions. By the time we came back for the shoot, everyone felt very natural and didn’t really notice the camera or crew. As with any documentary, things would just happen and we’d have to be flexible enough to just start following the story as it unfolded. 

The edit is always a challenge because there’s the ideas you have in your head before you shoot, and there’s the situations you actually ended up filming, and those are often very different. We knew we wanted to portray the beauty and hope of the Academy, but we also knew we couldn’t sugarcoat just how difficult the recovery process is. 

Rehabilitation is seldom a straight line, and not everyone gets better. It became really important to portray the challenges of this reality, so as to earn trust of the viewer too.  

MovieMaker: Joseph and Dave, what’s the biggest challenge of running a therapeutic community and how do you overcome it? How do you measure success?

Joseph Grenny: We measure success very simply — what percentage of our students achieve being DCE: drug-free, crime-free and employed long-term. Those should be the measures that any self-respecting organization holds itself up against. 

Are we perfect? Absolutely not. But we aim at that North star every day and we’re transparent with the public about our successes and failures. The biggest challenge of running a therapeutic community is developing leadership that comes from within that is willing to live at the high moral level required for deep change.

Dave Durocher: Agreed, the biggest challenge is finding the leadership, because academics can’t run a facility like this. We don’t have doctors or counselors here. We are run exclusively by people with lived experience. People who have been through the same situations the students are going through. Finding and building those people into leaders is really difficult. 

We started as a diversion program right when we opened in 2015. We talked to the judges and the courts, and still to this day, we take people pre-sentence in lieu of a lengthy county, state, or a prison sentence. The longer you are in treatment, the better your odds of success.

MovieMaker: Can you explain how people pay for the program?

Joseph Grenny: The Other Side Academy is free and self-sustaining. Our social enterprises generate enough to sustain our 250 students which allows them to stay not just as long as funding allows, but as long as they need to.

Dave Durocher: We generate all of our own revenue through our businesses that we own and operate. The moving company, the storage facility, the thrift boutique, and the construction company. The students work at these enterprises from day one, and that gives them the runway to stay as long as they need to.

MovieMaker: What do you all hope this film will accomplish?

Ben Rekhi: There are so many people struggling with addiction, depression, or negative thoughts and behaviors in our society. If not you directly, probably a family member or friend is. Our hope is that the film can help us all feel less alone and to realize change is possible. 

We’re also exploring if the film can be a conversation starter around rehabilitation, recidivism, and mental health more broadly. It’s a snapshot of a facility that’s trying new solutions to some of society’s greatest ills, and with extraordinary results. 

The national recidivism rate (or the return-to-prison rate) is close to 70%, but for graduates of the Other Side Academy, it’s under 20%. That kind of change doesn’t happen overnight, but it is possible. It just takes community, accountability, and a lot of hard work. 

Joseph Grenny: We always hope for two things: Number one that more people make it to our bench who would benefit from The Other Side Academy, and number two, that our challenge for greater accountability and transparency, helps improve the entire system.

Dave Durocher: I hope the film informs people that there is a place you can go to get help that is long-term and doesn’t cost any money. People are going in and out of 30-day rehabs without making any lasting progress, and it’s costing either them or the system a fortune. We have facilities in Salt Lake and Denver, and are exploring bringing the model to a lot of other cities. 

“The Breakthrough Group” plays the Nuart Theater in Los Angeles September 19-26th.

Main image: The Other Side Academy participants Nick Hendrickson and Tavita Moala in a scene from “The Breakthrough Group.” Courtesy of the filmmaker.