Sandbox Films is releasing Penny Lane’s “Confessions of a Good Samaritan” in select theaters beginning June 28.
The docu, which premiered at the South By Southwest film festival in 2023, focuses on Lane’s decision to give one of her kidneys to a stranger, which turns into a funny and moving personal quest to understand the nature of altruism. The film also investigates the ethical controversies surrounding organ donation and Lane’s own motivations for giving away her kidney.
“Five years ago I tried to prepare for the first and only major surgery of my life,” says Lane. “I made an effort to remind myself why I was doing this; to save a stranger’s life. It was right around this time I decided to start filming this once in a lifetime experience. I was very lucky to lean on my collaborators who supported me throughout every twist and turn of this surprising, complicated, and powerful journey.”
Sandbox Films, which backs docus films about scientific inquiry, produced “Confessions of a Good Samaritan.” This marks the first docu that the company, which launched in 2020, will release theatrically.
Last summer Sandbox Films’ founder Greg Boustead and executive director Jessica Harrop had a bespoke Maine-based release for Ian Chaney’s “The Arc of Oblivion.” Screenings for that doc took place throughout the month of August inside a wooden ark Cheney constructed while filming.
Lane, known for docus like “Listening to Kenny G” and “Hail Satan?,” told Variety in 2023 that “Confessions of a Good Samaritan” is not an advocacy film or a “call to action” documentary.
“I hope people will watch the film and feel motivated or inspired to consider organ donation,” she said. “But the film isn’t designed to convince anybody (to donate a kidney).”
The doc will begin its theatrical run at New York City’s Downtown Community Television Center Firehouse Cinema. From there, the film will travel to cities including Rochester, Portland, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The screenings will qualify the film for Oscar consideration.
“Penny Lane is an artist who makes you laugh and think and feel at the same time,” says Harrop. “This is a movie that deserves to be experienced in a theater with friends and family, as it is such an important exploration of what it means to be a “good person.” At Sandbox Films, we love documentaries that ask big, messy questions at the intersection of science and society, and this film is one for the ages.”
In addition to Sandbox Films, Spinning Nancy, Olive Hill and Impact Partners served as producers. Gabriel Sedgwick also served as a producer. Greg Boustead, Jessica Harrop, Michael Cho, Mimi Rode and Tim Lee served as executive producers.
See “Confessions of a Good Samaritan” trailer below.
Source Agencies
