The Film Arcade & Gravitas Ventures announced today they have acquired and will release Miranda Bailey’s documentary THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST. The film documents Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the man behind one of the most highly controversial, intensely debated topics in modern medicine: the anti-vaccination movement. The film will be released theatrically by The Film Arcade on September 29th followed by a VOD release via Gravitas later this year.
With THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST, director Miranda Bailey brings us a character study of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, one of 13 co-authors of a notorious 1998 paper in the UK medical Journal The Lancet, but who became the very public face of what has come to be known as “The Anti-Vaccination Movement.” An expat from Britain who currently resides in Austin, Texas, Wakefield allowed Bailey and her team to follow him and his family for five years beginning in 2011 as he fought a defamation battle in the courts against the British Medical Journal and journalist Brian Deer. The results of that case – and the self-reflection, pronouncements, and observations of Wakefield, his legal team, wife, and his children – create a complex and incisive look at one of our era’s most fear-provoking and continuingly provocative figures. THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST takes no sides, instead letting Wakefield and the battles he fought speak for themselves.
THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST is the sophomore effort of prolific indie producer Miranda Bailey, whose debut GREENLIT premiered to critical acclaim at SXSW in 2010. In a 15-year filmmaking career, Bailey has distinguished herself by producing over 20 films, among them the Oscar-nominated THE SQUID AND THE WHALE and the Spirit Award-winning THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, as well as James Gunn’s SUPER and the Sundance Film festival hit SWISS ARMY MAN.
Bailey also recently completed production on her narrative feature debut YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY, starring Jim Gaffigan.
” I’ve always gravitated towards controversial subject matters in the many films I’ve produced. The minefield of strong opinions and disagreements on who Andrew Wakefield is or what Andrew Wakefield has done intrigued me. What I found was a startling portrayal of a modern day sisyphus; punished by the media and the public yet continuing to push his rock up the hill over and over again,” stated Bailey.
THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST was executive produced by Jennifer Fox (MY REINCARNATION).
The deal was brokered by Josh Spector on behalf of Gravitas Ventures and by attorney Greg S. Bernstein on behalf of The Film Arcade. Peter Trinh at ICM negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers. Miranda Bailey is repped by ICM and Echo Lake.
Founded in 2012, The Film Arcade is an independent film distribution company that recently released Mike Birbiglia’s Don’t Think Twice starring Keegan-Michael Key and Gillian Jacobs as well as Josh Mond’s James White starring Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon. Previous films include Jim Strouse’s People Places Things starring Jemaine Clement, Unexpected written and directed by Kris Swanberg, Song One starring Anne Hathaway, A.C.O.D. starring Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins and Amy Poehler, and Jill Soloway’s Afternoon Delight starring Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple and Josh Radnor. The Film Arcade will release Lake Bell’s I Do…Until I Don’t starring Bell and Ed Helms on September 1 st.
ABOUT GRAVITAS VENTURES
Gravitas Ventures is a leading all rights distributor of independent cinema. Founded in 2006, Gravitas connects independent filmmakers and producers with distribution opportunities across the globe. Working with more than 500 content partners, Gravitas Ventures has distributed thousands of films into over 100 million homes. Recent releases include Katie Holmes’ feature directorial debut, “All We Had,” Jonathan Hock’s “Fastball,” Colin Hanks’ “All Things Must Pass,” “Being Evel” from Academy Award® winning director Daniel Junge and producer Johnny Knoxville, “Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of,” and “For The Love of Spock” from Director Adam Nimoy.
For more information, please visit gravitasventures.com, and sign up for the e-newsletter, follow @GravitasVOD on Twitter and @gravitasventures on Instagram.