December 30, 2024
The film version of a book by the same name, “Monkey on a Stick” was released for streaming on December 11, on AMC+ and Amazon Prime. The film was previously released on a limited basis in theaters in Canada and will likely be available in other countries in the future.
The film focuses on the abuse of power and crimes committed in the 1980s by four former ISKCON leaders who were removed from their positions forty years ago. The book and film are part of the “true crime” genre, meaning the film does not attempt to be completely factual nor balanced.
For those not familiar with the history of ISKCON during that era, the film will be especially shocking, because it portrays, in a sensationalized way, crimes that occurred within some ISKCON communities, and were committed by some leaders. It also seeks to shock viewers with gruesome “reenactment scenes” typically reserved for horror films outside the documentary genre.
“It is a sad fact that some leaders in every institution go rogue,” said Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON Minister of Communications. “ISKCON has had its share of those people too. But this film is not a documentary; it doesn’t seek balance or accuracy. The makers of this film–-for whatever reason—chose to completely ignore the extensive steps ISKCON took to correct the abuse and wrongs of the past—even though we worked with the producers to provide balance.”
Anuttama Dasa, upon the invitation of the producer, drove an 18-hour round trip to Canada to be interviewed and provide balance to the story. Yet, not a single word of his extensive interview was included in the film.
Read more: https://iskconnews.org/official-statement-from-iskcon-communications-on-the-release-of-the-monkey-on-a-stick-film/
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