About Men - A Portrait of a Men's Support Group
Never before has a filmmaker been accepted into a men's group, where everything that is said in the room stays in the room. Never before has a woman filmed men expressing themselves in an emotionally risky manner. ABOUT MEN is an unprecedented documentary film reflecting on the current state of men.
The film portrays Chris, Robert, Wayne and Thomas who are on their individual journeys toward realizing their purposes in life. Six months after joining the group, rookie Chris frees himself from the burden of his estranged father, while the group's oldest member, Robert, reaches for courage to embrace his relationship with his girlfriend. For Wayne and Thomas, the group is the ultimate support, as Wayne faces the loss of his business and Thomas faces the loss of his father.
ABOUT MEN reveals what is usually hidden in the Western society: men are vulnerable, men have feelings, men cry, and men are capable of loving. The empathy expressed among the men touches both men and women not only in the US but across the world, because of the essential purpose of exploring what it means to be human.
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Coming from an academic perspective with a focus on masculinity studies, making About Men was a real eye opener. I had read Judith Butler and Calvin Thomas and discussed the French author Michelle Houllebecq’s novel “Platform” in perspective of a challenged masculinity in contemporary Western ...Read more
Coming from an academic perspective with a focus on masculinity studies, making About Men was a real eye opener. I had read Judith Butler and Calvin Thomas and discussed the French author Michelle Houllebecq’s novel “Platform” in perspective of a challenged masculinity in contemporary Western society. Men’s groups was a new concept to me until I heard Owen Marcus on an online radio show. I contacted Owen and he ended up inviting me to come film his men’s group in North Idaho. Meeting the men’s group put all the masculinity theories I had read in perspective, and I realized the importance of understanding and communicating men’s personal experiences. Though I appreciate and value my academic background delving into understanding men’s groups, I found that a documentary film portraying one single group of men and their personal stories would resonate and reach way more people than writing a theoretical paper.
Read lessA lot of men today feel conflicted around masculine values and positive male role models. A men’s group help men get in contact with their deepest desires and ultimately help each man find this own purpose in life. This takes constant self-reflection and emotional expression. I was amazed with the deep level of trust, honesty, openness and courage expressed among the men, and I hope the men’s touching stories will help increase our understanding of men in contemporary Western societies. Every time I show the film, a lot of men for the first time ever feel a deep connection and personal acknowledgement. The film help give them confidence and guidance, because the men’s stories in the film are universal across cultures and time.