Behind the Curve

Behind the Curve is a 2018 documentary film about flat Earth believers in the United States. Directed by Daniel J. Clark, the film was released in the United States on November 15, 2018, and for wide release on Netflix in February 2019.[1]

Behind the Curve
Promotional release poster
Directed byDaniel J. Clark
Produced byCaroline Clark
Nick Andert
Daniel J. Clark
StarringMark Sargent
Patricia Steere
Music byBryan Ricker
Edited byNick Andert
Production
company
Delta-v Productions
Release date
  • November 15, 2018 (2018-11-15)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The documentary details ideas of the flat Earth from different perspectives, including prominent flat-Earthers Mark Sargent and Patricia Steere,[2] as well as astrophysicists from universities including UCLA and Caltech.[3] It features clips from the 2017 International Flat Earth Conference, held in North Carolina, US, which attracted hundreds of attendees.[4][5]

Synopsis

Behind the Curve primarily focuses on flat Earth proponent Mark Sargent and his life as an active member of the flat Earth community. Sargent discusses his interpretation of flat Earth theory, and his role as an advocate, as well as his series of YouTube videos and podcasts. It also follows Sargent as he attends various flat Earth gatherings. Other flat Earth believers featured include Patricia Steere, creator of the podcast Flat Earth and Other Hot Potatoes; and Jeran Campanella and Bob Knodel, creators of the GlobeBusters YouTube channel.

Professionals in the scientific community, including astronaut Scott Kelly, are interviewed about their views on the flat Earth conspiracy theory, and to discuss the current scientific views on conspiracy theories and the possible consequences of a lack of critical thinking in society.

Throughout the film, flat Earth advocates discuss their experimental approaches to proving their theory. It also covers several conferences and meet-ups that the film's subjects attend, including the 2017 International Flat Earth Conference, held in Raleigh, North Carolina, US.

When director Clark was asked in an interview about lessons from the film he said, "my dream would be that when people watch it, they take flat Eartherism as an analogy to something they believe in, because it’s so easy to demonize another group or another person for something they think but you’re kind of just as guilty if you do that."[6]

Release

Behind the Curve was first released at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Toronto, Canada, on April 30, 2018. It has since been screened at various film festivals around the world.[7]

Reception

The film has received positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the documentary holds a "100% Certified Fresh" approval rating based on 8 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10.[8]

Reviews described the film as "hilarious, informative, but pressing"[9] and "empathetic",[10] with several commentators praising its "humanistic look at some of the most ridiculed people in America."[11]

After the release of the film, Sargent and Steere both claimed their fanbase has grown considerably.[12]

References
  1. Schwartz, Dana (March 1, 2019). "Director of 'Behind the Curve' shares how to argue with people who believe the earth is flat". EW.com. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  2. Gilman, Greg (March 7, 2019). "The subjects of the Flat Earth documentary Behind the Curve are trolling you to victory". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  3. Whalen, Andrew (February 25, 2019). "Flat Earthers disprove themselves with their own experiments in documentary 'Behind the Curve,' now on Netflix". Newsweek. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  4. Turner, Laura Jane (March 14, 2019). "Behind the Curve proves flat-earthers are actually good scientists". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  5. Timmer, John (March 17, 2019). "Behind the Curve a fascinating study of reality-challenged beliefs". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  6. Schwartz, Dana. "Director of Behind the Curve shares how to argue with people who believe the earth is flat". ew.com. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  7. "Upcoming Screenings". www.behindthecurvefilm.com. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  8. "Behind the Curve (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  9. Kohner, Kyle (September 30, 2018). "Round Or Flat, 'Behind The Curve' Prevails As One Of The Most Fun & Intriguing Documentaries Of The Year [LAFF Review]". theplaylist.net. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  10. Ng, Alan (November 15, 2018). "Behind the Curve". Film Threat. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  11. Singgih, Pierce (October 5, 2018). "'Behind the Curve' Review: Explore the Minds and Hearts of Flat Earth Theorists". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  12. Gilman, Greg (March 7, 2019). "The subjects of the Flat Earth documentary Behind the Curve are trolling you to victory". SYFY WIRE.
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