Brooklyn, NY – September 28, 2015 | Brooklyn filmmaker and Sundance Fellow Patricia Gillespie launched a Kickstarter campaign on Saturday to fund production of her newest film American Monster — a feature length true crime documentary exploring the life and crimes of John Lawson – who grew up poor and abused in the affluent suburb of Clemmons, North Carolina. Rejected at home, at school, and by his conservative hometown at large, Lawson – notoriously known later on as Pazuzu Algarad – earned his community’s respect the only way he knew how: FEAR.
In 2014, Algarad was charged with the gruesome murders of Joshua Fredrick Wetzler and Tommy Dean Welch – and is set to face trial next month, alongside two accomplices. Using the long-awaited trial as a narrative spine, American Monster will document the intimate struggles of three individuals, as they attempt to come to terms with their respective roles in these horrific crimes.
With this new film, Patricia will re-examine the culture of American violence; take a deeper look at the systemic issues of hidden addiction, mental illness and poverty; and masterfully unfold the story of the community that created a real life American Monster. Patricia will be available for interviews for the duration of the Kickstarter campaign, which runs until midnight on Monday, October 26th. Interview requests and any inquiries can be sent to press@americanmonsterfilm.com.
The extended trailer, project updates, and additional information on American Monster can be found on the Kickstarter page: www.kickstarter.com
Official Film Website: www.AmericanMonsterFilm.com
Follow American Monster on Twitter @AMERICAN_MNSTR
