The aptly titled “Facing Fear, a provocative short film (only 23 minutes), won the Audience Award at the 2013 OUTFEST.
Director Jason Cohen and the subjects of his docu “Facing Fear”–Boger and Tim Zaal–received a huge applause from appreciative and moved audiences after the first screening at the festival, due to the bold treatment of such hot-button issues as hate, aggressiveness, reconciliation, and ultimately forgiveness.
Two vastly divergent worlds collide, when a former neo-Nazi skinhead and the gay victim of his hate-crime attack meet by chance 25 years after the incident, an event that had naturally and dramatically shaped their lives. Together, they embark on a journey of self-discovering and forgiveness, which challenges both men to grapple with their beliefs, prejudices, stereotypes, and fears, eventually leading to an improbable collaboration and even friendship.
It’s too bad that there is no more big, viable movie market for such shorts, but “Facing Fear” should be screened in schools, and discussed by teachers with their students.