Nonfiction filmmaker Penny Lane (statement of a good samaritan) and Academy Award-nominated actor John C. Reilly join the short documentary film stalin boys As executive producer.
Directed by Ora DeKornfeld and Bianca Giaever, the film follows Malachi, a middle school student in Marathon, Texas, who is obsessed with Joseph Stalin. Yes, that Joseph Stalin! When he hears about the Texas History Day contest, he writes a play about the late Soviet dictator and enlists his friends Caden, Lyric, and Jureum to play the roles of frightened citizens and loyal operatives.
“In a school of 11 students in a town of about 400, the boys grapple with a dark chapter in history and confront questions of power and legacy in their lives,” a synopsis teases.
the movie started New York Times Op-Docs earlier this month and is eligible for the Academy Award for Documentary Short Film category.
Veteran doc director Lane, whose subjects range from Kenny G. listen to kenny gee to the owl in the flag wild insideAttracted to her as she described little Miss Sunshine-A mixture of craze and heart. “I never imagined the words, ‘Screw National History Day!’ “I could laugh a lot and feel a lot of pain at the same time,” Lane said. “I never thought to ask, ‘What was Stalin’s favorite color?’ But I’m glad I met Malachi and found out he knows the answer.”
Giaever lauded Lane as “a documentary icon”, adding: “His work taught us that documentaries can be funny, playful and absurd while also tackling difficult subjects.”
Reilly will support the campaign to bring the filmmakers stalin boys To classrooms and audiences nationwide.
“I loved this short film,” the star said. “I loved it so much that I lent my name to it as an executive producer. It reminded me of my own very imaginative and inspired childhood passion as a theater kid. I found that the kids are an amazing inspiration to all of us with their commitment and enthusiasm for their vision. I was also very impressed by the teachers who supported and guided them to realize their vision. We need caring people like these teachers to guide today’s youth if we want a better future for our world.” is required.”
Reilly concluded: “I hope everyone sees this film and remembers that big lives always start small and that even small dusty towns in the middle of nowhere can give birth to people who can shape a brighter future for us all.”
DeKornfeld said of Reilly: “John has spent his career playing people who are funny and heartbreaking at the same time, which is exactly what these boys are. He immediately understood that this film is about what’s possible when teachers encourage kids to follow their interests, no matter how strange they may be. We couldn’t ask for a better champion to help bring this to the audiences who need it most.” Is.”
The filmmakers learned about the story while visiting their friend Crawford Hunt, who was recruited to teach history at the school. He spent a week with the boys and their teachers during rehearsals for the state competition.
stalin boyswhich you can watch here, premiered at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and won the Audience Award and Special Jury Award. 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival. In July, the film also won the Academy Award-qualifying Documentary Grand Prize in Indie Shorts. It will be screened at AFI Fest in Los Angeles later this month.
stalin boys The score was edited by Natalie Ancona, with an original score by Ellori Saxel. Pipsqueak Productions The film was produced by Alejandra Vasquez and Amplify Pictures. For Op-Docs, Alexandra Garcia is the executive producer and Yvonne Ashley Kouadjo is the producer. The short was supported by Southern Methodist University’s Narrative Now Initiative, MountainFilm, and The Economic Hardship Reporting Project.
DeKornfeld directs Emmy-nominated short film usa vs scott, grandpa puzzle and several episodes of Netflix original series Explained. He is currently in production on a feature documentary about journalist fixers in Mexico. Giaever is an independent filmmaker, radio journalist, and podcast producer and host Nakshatra Award. His upcoming documentary series free help Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and will be available next year.