Liquid Truth

What if the only evidence of a crime is the testimony of a parent interpreting the unclear words of her child?

Alex is a young boy on the swimming team. His dad is gruff, seemingly always disappointed he never gets first place. Noticing that the father’s pressure has been affecting Alex’s behavior, Coach Rubens tries to offer emotional support. Extremely outgoing, he’s widely popular with the kids. But the personal attention becomes questionable when Alex’s mother says her son confessed that Rubens was inappropriate with him in the locker room.

At first, Alex’s father is hesitant to pursue the matter, concerned about his own image. The school principal is slow to react, too—worried the whole thing could be a misunderstanding. But when Alex’s mom posts about the incident on social media, there’s no going back. The community quickly turns against the coach, vandalizing his car and even inflicting violence on him. Sexual abuse is a sensitive and serious matter. No one would want to disbelieve a child. But what if the story isn’t true? Is everyone in town rushing to judgment?

Director Carolina Jabor’s incisive, unsettling, and powerful film debut maintains an intriguing, tension-filled air of mystery, even as it exposes our own propensity to pass judgment. It is also an incisive look at the dangers of selfies and social media culture and how they can be used (or misused) to expose and taint a person’s character.