FEATURE DOCUMENTARY IN POST PRODUCTION

Meow Meow Foundation co-founder Doug Forbes recently announced that his documentary is now in the hands of multiple editors, including himself.

Forbes commenced production in August of 2022, three years after the horrific drowning death of his daughter Roxie. His relentless journalistic investigation of her death unearthed shocking revelations about the $26 billion U.S. summer camp industry that serves roughly 25 million children each year.

The film toggles between an exploration of America’s beloved but troubled youth-centric pastime and the extremely dubious circumstances that caused Roxie to drown at Summerkids Camp in Altadena, California. At its core, however, the film is an exposition of the lengths to which people go to honor their most precious cargo in the wake of their own suffering.

“I set out to tell the stunning story of a dark American secret,” Forbes said. “But it did not take long for me to realize this is a story about the profound power of finding purpose in pain. It’s a love story in which recognizing beauty and leaning on community can help mitigate even the greatest grief.”

Forbes serves as the film’s director-writer, executive producer and central character. He interviewed upwards of 75 people in 17 states, including victims, family members, politicians, attorneys, social scientists, camp and recreational industry insiders, health and safety experts, journalists and more.

Forbes said he will screen a rough cut of his film in April of 2025 after which a full release is planned for summer. His Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated director of photography has worked on projects including the moving portrait of a woman’s personal confrontation with the Armenian genocide, trailblazing Indian women defying cultural norms, the wildly popular HBO series McMillions and Apple TV’s rousing stranger than fiction series The Big Conn.