Director: Jason Cohen
Year: 2013
Running Time: 23 minutes
Synopsis
As a 13 year-old, Matthew Boger was thrown out of his home for being gay. While living on the streets of Hollywood, he was savagely beaten in a back alley by a group of neo-Nazi skinheads. Boger managed to survive the attack and escape life on the streets. Twenty-five years later, Boger found himself in a chance meeting with a former neo-Nazi skinhead, Tim Zaal. The two men soon realized that they had met before… Zaal was one of the attackers who beat Boger and left him for dead. With their worlds turned upside down, the two embarked on a journey of forgiveness and reconciliation that challenged both to grapple with their own beliefs and fears. Neither could imagine that it would to lead to an improbable collaboration…and friendship. Facing Fear retraces the haunting accounts of the attack and the startling revelation that brought these men together again. Delving deep into their backgrounds, the roots of the ideologies that shape how they handle the reconciliation process are exposed. Self-doubt, anger and fear are just a few of the emotions they struggle through as they come to terms with their unimaginable situation.
Awards
2013 Academy Awards – Nominee, Best Documentary Short Subject
2013 Outfest Film Festival – Audience Award, Best Documentary Short
2013 IDFA Amsterdam – Official Selection
2013 DOC NYC Film Festival Official Selection
2013 Mill Valley Film Festival – Official Selection
2013 Starz Denver Film Festival – Official Selection
2013 Arclight Documentary Film Festival – Official Selection
2013 Newfest NYC LGBT Film Festival – Official Selection