The esteemed documentary filmmaker, Louis Thoreau, flew to the US to investigate the conduct of universities in cases of sexual assault occurring in their territory. He met with Zayef Khan, who was thrown out of Yale University following a rape complaint. Enough for him - he wants a full credit, so he shed a tear in front of Thoreau's camera.
So the experienced British journalist made phone calls, met a friend of Zayef who questioned his version, and even testified that he sexually assaulted him as well, and told of the dubious and cunning nature of the guy. "He was very pleased with himself after being interviewed by you, and said 'I cried, and Louis flew over it,'" the friend revealed. "Why did he want to do this show?" Thoreau inquired. And the friend revealed: "He forced me to watch all your films and investigations and summarize them. Describe your particular style and how you interview people. He did not trust you."
"If he did not trust me so much, why did he agree to film the show?" Thoreau asked.
"It was an opportunity for him to create a spin around his case," the friend admitted, "your investigation was supposed to clear his name."
Needless to say, Zayef (accused of sleeping with a drunk girl) did not fare well in Thoreau's film, which pierced his version and exposed him as a cold-blooded manipulator, a forceful type, and especially a tireless snooze who would not shut up until everyone was convinced the truth was his point.
"What happened that night?"
Which was screened last night (Saturday) at the corporation is the first in a strip of docu-films created by Thor for the BBC between 2018 and 2020, and will be broadcast here every Saturday.
Thoreau is a superstar in his field.
He has garnered awards and fans thanks to exceptional films that have always highlighted controversial themes and characters (e.g., he discovered Joe Exotic a decade before "Tiger King").
Thor is an expert in side-by-side observation.
He likes to conduct the interviews standing up.
Sometimes leaning against a wall or closet, not pressing, not threatening, not interrupting sentences.
Knows how to direct the conversation as he wishes, and ask the most difficult and penetrating questions in a pleasant and gentle way, and with British politeness.
Then as soon as his interviewees trust him and open up, he sometimes stings them without them realizing it.
His embracing style brings him criticism because he normalizes disturbed characters or controversial issues, but does not need Thoreau to declare that sexual assault is bad and that groups that encourage hatred are not normative.
He is here to open a window into the inner world of ordinary people, and analyze what made them such.
The problem today is that every Fisher thinks he can be smart about the whole world.
Say, Saif Khan, who could have quietly ended his gray incident at the university years ago, but was so arrogant that he thought he would be able to deceive Louis Thoreau.
So he thought
Louis Thoreau: What happened that night? Here 11, 22:15