Jennie Kermode’s The Believers
The air at Fantastic Fest this year was buzzing, not just with groundbreaking film, but with a fascinating exploration of the human fascination with the unbelievable. Central to the buzz was the documentary Gimme Truth, a project by Simon Ennis and Brad Abrahams that dives headfirst into the sprawling landscape of conspiracy theories currently circulating across North America.
The film doesn’t shy away from the strange; it pulls back the curtain on a wide array of beliefs, ranging from widely accepted medical misconceptions to the enduring conviction that extraterrestrials are visiting Earth. It’s a deep dive into the shared anxieties and fantastic narratives that populate modern discourse.
The filmmakers, who have spent decades navigating the digital world, bring a unique perspective to the topic. They tell us that after thirty-five years immersed in the internet, they felt they had seen everything. Yet, seeing the theories laid bare on screen offered a delightful jolt of surprise.
The true magic of the documentary unfolded in its opening scenes. One particular anecdote that highlights the humorous and unexpected nature of the journey was a man’s conviction that the mountains and caves were not just geological formations, but the remnants of ancient cyclopean cities. For the filmmakers, this idea was a complete surprise.
Simon Ennis shared the surprise, laughing, noting that this theory was actually the very first one they stumbled upon on their own investigative journey. It perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the film: the thrill of discovering that the boundaries of what we believe are constantly shifting.
As the documentary continues, the conversation shifts from the theories themselves to the nature of belief and discovery. The film serves as a witty, thought-provoking reminder that the most compelling stories often hide in the fringes, inviting audiences to question the accepted truths of the world.
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