DOUBTING DAVID

1 x 40 min. documentary

• Controversial anti-vaccination, natural health advocates

• Accusations of medical conspiracies

• Themes of nanny state vs. personal choice

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LOGLINE

One of the country’s most controversial anti-vaccination figures, David Stephan, is trying to lead a movement of Canadians convinced COVID-19 is hoax — all the while preparing for a possible a third trial in the death of his son.

SUMMARY

As most Canadians are in a lock-down hoping for a COVID-19 vaccine, David Stephan — one of Canada’s most controversial anti-vaccination protesters — may be living his last days as a free man before he, his wife, their beliefs and their actions in the death of their son are once again put on trial. 

Accused by failing to provide the necessaries of life in the 2012 death of their 18-month-old son, Ezekiel, the Stephans were found guilty, appealed to the Supreme Courts of Alberta and Canada, retried and eventually acquitted during the summer of 2019.

Their relief was short-lived. The Crown filed an appeal and is set to make arguments for yet another trial ion June 11, 2020. David says prosecution has turned into persecution, and that the system is targeting his family to due to their prominence in the anti-vaxxing movement.

For the past year, Toronto International Film Festival-selected filmmaker Mathew Embry (Living Proof) has had exclusive access to the Stephan family to capture the entire story outside of the courtroom and the ensuing media circus. 

While nobody could have predicted the appeal might be sidetracked by a global pandemic, as that It should come as little surprise David Stephan will not be lining up to test any new vaccines for it. 

He has called the disease associated with the deaths of 2,000+ Canadians a “hoax” and suggests a plot to promote vaccinations in order to track citizens. A quick scroll of David’s social media shows he is not alone in some of these thoughts.

A peek at your own friends’ feeds might reveal the same. A recent poll found 15% of Canadians suspect Big Pharma is involved in the spread of the coronavirus.

Where do these ideas come from, which are dangerous — and which claims might actually warrant some examination? Follow Mathew as he gives some of these coronavirus conspiracy theories a proper check-up.