Academy Award^®-nominated documentary short FACING FEAR is a story of forgiveness, tolerance, and unlikely friendship. 

 

When he was 13, Matthew Boger’s mother threw him out of the house because he was gay. While living on the streets of Hollywood, Boger was savagely beaten by a group of neo-Nazi skinheads. Boger survived the attack and escaped life on the streets. Twenty-five years later while working at the Museum of Tolerance, Boger was chatting with Tim Zaal, a former neo-Nazi. The two soon realized they had met before: Zaal was one of Boger’s attackers.

 

Boger and Zaal embarked on a journey of forgiveness and reconciliation that challenged them both to confront their beliefs and fears. This riveting film delves into the men’s different backgrounds and ideologies as it documents their reconciliation process. They struggle with self-doubt, anger and fear, as they grapple with their unlikely situation, and it all leads them to a place neither would have expected: friendship.

 

Academy Award^®-nominated producer/director Jason Cohen directed the documentary FOUR WOMEN, ONE WORLD (2013). He has worked closely with director Steven Okazaki for more than 15 years, producing several of the director’s films including the Emmy-winning documentary WHITE LIGHT/BLACK RAIN (2007) and the Emmy-nominated BLACK TAR HEROIN: DARK END OF THE STREET (2000).