Inspiring a broader national conversation about the extraordinarily complicated issue of social justice overreach and its potential to harm the most vulnerable is a powerful motivator for filmmakers striving to make commanding documentaries. Madeleine Farley is one such passionate storytellers who’s telling a timely, provocative and difficult story in her new movie, ‘Fist Bump.’

Farley directed, produced and served as the cinematographer on the documentary. She also closely worked with Claire Best, the film’s executive producer, writer and researcher, to make the politically charged and timely feature.

‘Fist Bump’ tells the story of Marcus Knight, an astounding success story: a talented and charismatic bi-racial young adult with autism and cerebral palsy who pursues his dream career of a life on Broadway. As a college freshman, he’s accused of sexual harassment from a friendly fist bump and selfies. With the help of his mother, Aurora Knight, he must fight to prove his innocence and piece together his shattered ambitions.

‘Fist Bump’ had its North American Premiere in the Spotlight and Made in LA sections at last month’s Slamdance Film Festival, which moved to Los Angeles this year. The movie is now playing as part of the festival’s virtual screening series, which can be viewed on Slamdance Channel’s official website until this Friday, March 7.

To help promote the documentary’s screening at the festival, Farley generously took the time before the project’s theatrical screenings at Slamdnce last month to talk about the feature. The filmmaker discussed helming, producing and serving as the cinematographer on ‘Fist Bump’ during an exclusive interview over Zoom.

Film Factual (FF): You directed and produced the new documentary, ‘Fist Bump.’ How did you become aware of Marcus’ story, and why did you decide to become involved in telling his version of events in a film?

Madeleine Farley (MF): Well, Claire Best, my producer, brought the project to me. She was very involved in the cases of sexual misconduct on college campuses, and she found Marcus.

So she brought me in to direct a film. She didn’t even know what the film was about yet, but she was intrigued by the subject matter and all these cases that were happening nationally.

So she brought me on to meet Marcus who would potentially be one of the first people that we would interview for this film. So we were going to interview Marcus. Claire also had some other people lined up who we were also going to interview, as the same thing had happened to them in other colleges.

So once we met Marcus and his mother, Aurora, we realized their story was so unique and unlike any of the other stories. So when we interviewed the other people, it didn’t seem like their stories fit with Marcus.

So it soon became apparent to us that this film’s story should solely be about Marcus. His story was so powerful that we felt that we wanted to give him the whole story. So this project sort of evolved organically.

So I was first intrigued by Claire’s passion; she was so passionate about it and so adamant about all these falsely accused students.

It wasn’t just nationally; it was also happening in London, where I’m from. It was also happening in Australia. I didn’t really know much about what was happening.

So I was sort of sort of brought along by her passion.

Then once I met Marcus and spent time with his mother, then I became deeply entrenched in their whole story. It wasn’t just the college campus; it was happening everywhere, even before he was born.

It was also about the struggles that his mother went through all the way through his life; he’s now 25. She’s had a quarter of a century of struggles, just to fight for Marcus to be accepted. So that’s what drew me in.

FF: Speaking about getting to know Marcus and his mother, Aurora, as you were making the movie, how did your relationship grow during the production?

MF: Well, it soon became apparent that I am so fortunate to have met them. I’m a much greater better person having spent the last few years of my life with them. I’ve learned so much from them. They’ve taught me way more than I have taught them, if I’ve taught them anything.

Their love, faith. humanity and everything about their story is just overwhelmingly beautiful and extraordinary. So I’m lucky to have them in my life. I think they’ll be in my life forever, actually.

FF: Also speaking about collaborating with Claire throughout the production, how did you work with her in researching and creating the story for ‘Fist Bump?’

MF: Well, it was a difficult process. When you don’t have a script and you don’t really have a detailed outline for a story, it can go in so many different directions.

As it often does with these projects, the story sort of evolves in the cutting room. The way I like to work is you accumulate all the footage and then you let the footage tell you the story that it wants to tell.

That’s the most organic way of working. I think that’s the way I wanted to be truthful to the footage.

So I let the footage tell the story, and that footage was Marcus. His story is innocence, authenticity, passion and drive. It’s also everything that he’s overcome in his life. I think that’s what came out in the footage

So when we introduced too much of other people’s stories, or the bigger picture surrounding Marcus’s story, into the film, it just didn’t work, and I can’t really explain why. This is the magic of movie making. It didn’t fit and sit right in Marcus’s story. So we had to take it out. That’s why I think this film is so special.

FF: Speaking of the footage, you also served as the cinematographer on the documentary. What was your experience like of shooting the film?

MF: Well, I was very lucky because I felt like I was a part of Marcus and Aurora’s family. I was completely accepted. They trusted me completely. Half the time I’d forgotten that I was actually there filming. I was just part of them.

It was lovely because we didn’t have a crew around and all the distractions that come with all the equipment and the lights and the sound recording and everything else that comes with it; it was just me.

Aurora is Italian, so often the filming revolved around what she was cooking for lunch, like pasta or pizza. So it was always, this is what we’re eating today, and you kind of forget that you’re filming.

One day, we we were sitting down to lunch and Marcus just burst into the song, ‘Proud of Your Boy,’ from ‘Aladdin.’ I leapt out of my seat and grabbed my camera and filmed it. It’s one of my favorite parts in the film – just being able to capture that moment was amazing. Aurora was just stirring the pastor and just crying. It’s just it’s so touching and beautiful.

To me, that’s the most important part of documentary filmmaking – being there to witness and to film moments like that. It’s the best thing anyone could want.

FF: Speaking about putting the final version of ‘Fist Bump’ together, how did you edit the project?

MF: Well, the film was a bit longer than it is now. But we decided to take out some of the talking heads and really scale it down to just an emotional, personal story to Marcus.

We did have some other great interviews, but they just didn’t make it into the film. I wanted to pull at the hearts of people. I also wanted this film to really hit on an emotional level, and for people not to get too caught up in the politics, the policies, the bureaucracy and everything else that surrounds stories like this. I think that people just switch off if they have too much of that.

But if it hits them on an emotional level, I think you’ve made your point and you’ve got your story and your point across. So that’s what it ended up being – just a purely emotional ride.

FF: Speaking about the other people you interviewed for the movie, how did you decide who you speak to and include in the final version of the feature?

MF: Well, Claire had the interviews with the lawyers all set up. When you interview a lawyer, they go on for hours in their boring legal speak that, quite frankly, just goes over my head. (Farley laughs.)

So we had to cut down a lot of a lot of that because I don’t want to overwhelm an audience. They have to be entertained and informed, as this is a film. But you don’t want people to just zone out because of the complexities involved in this story.

Marcus’ mother, Aurora, has been dealing with this case for years, and she still doesn’t understand it. I can quite honestly say that I don’t really understand it, either. It’s very complicated.

But I do know from Marcus’s lawyer, Mark Hathaway, that Marcus’s journey will pave the way for other people in similar situations. His story will be a precedent. So it will be used for other people in the future, which is a good thing.

FF: Besides being a producer on ‘Fist Bum,’ how did you also approach making the project as the directorhelmer?

MF: Oh, I love the artistic and creative side of it. I love the visual side because I’m an artist. So that’s very important to me – the photography, the grading and putting it together. As an artist, that’s one of my favorite parts.

But I also had challenges because a lot of the time I was filming in places where I wasn’t allowed to, which is quite nerve wracking So it’s quite challenging to be setting up an artistic shot in a location where you know that you may be chased away by the police at any second. But that’s guerrilla documentary filmmaking for you. That’s part of the fun and the challenge, which I love.

FF: ‘Fist Bump’ is playing at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. What does it mean to you that the documentary is screening as part of the festival?

MF: We are so excited. I’m so happy because you do all this hard work and you never know where it’s going to lead to, including if you’re going to get into a festival. So that’s exciting for me.

But the most exciting thing is seeing Aurora and Marcus. They are off the charts excited. They hired a limo for the screening. I got a picture from Aurora (the morning of the interview), showing me the interior of the limo that she’s hired to take everybody to the festival. Marcus (planned on) wearing a tuxedo. This is his moment.

Marcus is nonverbal. So all his life he has struggled to be seen. So part of the reason he loves to perform or to sing is because he says, “They see me. It’s the one that they see me. Otherwise, I’m invisible. My whole life, I’ve been invisible. People haven’t seen me.”

So this is his moment to shine and to be seen. So if this is the only thing I achieve in my life, I’ll be happy just to see him in his tuxedo at his premiere at Slamdance. It’s one of the greates honors, and I’m so excited for Marcus.

FF: What do you hope that audiences who see the movie at the festival can take away from Marcus’ life story? What do you hope to see for Marcus, now that the movie is being seen by audiences?

MF: Well, for Marcus, I’d like to see him to go on and finish his college education. Then I would like to see him excel in his musical talent, which is musical theatre. I would also like him to find a place on stage –  or wherever he wants to perform – and have a successful career and a successful life.

In terms of the audience, I just want people to be nicer to each other, and have a bit more common sense and compassion – I think that’s what we all need in this world. This would never have happened if the administration exercised a little bit more common sense. So if it opens that debate, and something changes because of it, then even better.