San Francisco, U.S.A. — Roughly 10,000 people became inducted into the mysterious Jejune Institute in San Francisco between 2008 and 2011. ”The Institute,” a full length documentary film premiering at the Mill Valley Film Festival this month, attempts to capture this enigmatic experience for viewers, and to unravel the truth behind the opaque organization.

“Many members described it as a cult,” says Spencer McCall, the film’s director. “But as I delved deeper, there appeared to be elements of an elaborate game being played.” Many of the subjects interviewed for the film disagreed on exactly how to describe their experience, whether it was a game or a much more serious endeavor. This paradox is one of the primary questions explored through the movie, which is McCall’s first feature length film.

At the opening night of the Mill Valley Film Festival, where Bradley Cooper’s new movie The Silver Lining Playbook kicked off the festivities, ex-members of the Jejune Institute demonstrated outside, discouraging audiences from seeing the movie. “Don’t believe the lies!” they chanted, before being ushered away by festival security. “I don’t appreciate this being characterized as just some alternative reality game,” said Gordo McLaughlin, one of the demonstrators, who was also interviewed in the documentary. ”It’s not an accurate or truthful film. I think it’s a disgrace to the festival.”

Controversy seems to follow “The Institute,” which is beginning its festival run. “It’s been an incredible struggle,” Spencer McCall says. “Some participants are dealing with mental illness and delusion, and I’ve had them turn on me and try to block screenings. But it just seems to be adding fuel to the fire.” The sensational story has already received coverage by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Wired magazines, among others.

“The Institute” will be showing at the Rafael Theater on Thursday, October 11 at 4:30 p.m., and at CineArts at Sequoia Theater on Sunday, October 14 at 2:00 p.m. Rumors are already swelling about what strange occurrences may transpire at the viewings.

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Nashville, U.S.A. – Documentary Channel (DOC) is proud to announce the US television premiere of “Warrior Champions“ on June 10, 2012. An emotional and inspiring story of sacrifice and determination, “Warrior Champions“ follows a group of wounded American soldiers as they fight to turn their nightmares of war into Olympic dreams.

As little as a year after losing limbs and suffering paralysis after fighting for their country in Iraq, four brave men and women set out to do what many considered impossible – to compete in the Paralympic Games. Through failure, pain and triumph, “Warrior Champions“ follows these soldier athletes for a full year as they compete for their positions on the US Paralympic team. Though at times heart wrenching, the film is an uplifting testament to the human spirit that challenges every notion of what it means to be disabled.

Other special programming highlights for June include:

“This Way of Life“ an intimate portrait of a Maori family and their relationship with nature, adversity, their 50 wild horses and society at large.  Set against the stunning beauty of New Zealand’s rugged Ruahine Mountains, two parents struggle to instill in their six children the values of independence, courage and happiness.  Cultivating the magic in the everyday while turning hardship into a meaningful and satisfying life, the family has little in the way of material possession but enjoys a physicality most people today can only dream about.

“His & Hers”, award-winning director Ken Wardrop’s intimate gender and cultural snapshot exploring a woman’s relationships with the men in her life – father, boyfriend, husband, son – through the voices of 70 women.  From kitchens, living rooms and hallways across the Irish midlands, ”His & Hers” tells a 90-year-old love story through little girl to old woman, each character portrait woven with the next to create one perfectly crafted cinematic quilt to celebrate both men and the women who love them.  US Television Premiere

“Murder by Proxy: How America Went Postal“ an unprecedented exploration of the growing epidemic of spree killings in America.  The first documentary film to look at the so called “going postal” phenomenon through the lens of the mounting socio-economic changes that have swept over this country, “Murder by Proxy: How America Went Postal” examines the basic question of what brings a seemingly normal person to the point of committing mass murder, studying the complex interplay of personal and societal factors leading to incidents of workplace massacres, starting with the earliest deadly post office killings in 1986.

Documentary Channel (DOC) is the USA’s first 24-hour television network exclusively devoted to documentary films and the independent documentary filmmaker, providing viewers with round-the-clock opportunities to see fascinating, eclectic and award-winning documentary films of all lengths and genres.

Image Courtesy of  CHEN WS / Shutterstock.com

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