Chasing Childhood

A film by Margaret Munzer Loeb & Eden Wurmfeld

Chasing Childhood is a feature length documentary that explores how free play and independence have all but disappeared from kids’ lives, supplanted by relentless perfectionism leading to record rates of anxiety and depression, a situation now compounded by the pandemic.  Free play, unsupervised by adults, is critical for developing essential life skills: grit, independence, and resourcefulness. Many young adults may appear more accomplished on paper, but by the time they get to college they are emotionally struggling and lacking the tools needed to live independently.

In affluent Wilton, CT, we meet Rob and Genevieve Eason, who imagined the perfect life they could give  their child, Savannah, if they just did everything right. When Savannah is ultimately hospitalized for depression in her senior year of high school, they are forced to reevaluate not only their own values but the culture at large. Recognizing the pervasiveness of her daughter’s struggle, Genevieve Eason becomes a passionate grassroots  activist who fights to reframe society’s definition of success and to take back childhood.

Meanwhile, in the working-class district of Patchogue, NY, school superintendent Dr. Michael Hynes struggles to combat epidemic behavioral issues and reduce the level of anxiety in his schools. Both Wilton and Patchogue turn to Lenore Skenazy, founder of the Free Range Kids movement, to bring “Let Grow,” a child-driven independence project to their schools. Skenazy takes us inside a New York City public middle school where we witness these projects in action as kids prove they are capable beyond what they ever imagined.

The film explores how and why helicopter parenting became the norm in many communities across the United States. The film features experts and advocates in the area of free play including Julie Lythcott-Haims, former Stanford Dean and author of How to Raise an Adult, and Peter Gray, biological psychologist.

Director

Margaret Munzer Loeb & Eden Wurmfeld

Producer

Lismore Road

Runtime

85 minutes

Rights Represented

Educational Rights, Sponsored Screening Licenses Available

Captions Available

English Closed Captions (available upon request)

Language

English

Film Licensing

We distribute films globally but we only hold the rights in particular territories in some cases.

Letting us know what type of group you are will help us get you set up with the right type of license. If you do not fall squarely into one of these categories, select “individual” or contact us at screenings@rocofilms.com.

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Here are some basic definitions to help! Please visit our FAQs for further information.

  • In-person screening: This license includes the public performance rights required to host a screening for your group and a DVD copy of the film
  • Virtual screening: A link and code that are available for a single 72 hour period
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Includes Standard Setup Plus...

  • Custom screening page with your logo and event description
  • Option to add custom video introduction
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Don’t worry, you can always change this date if needed but if you already have a screening or license activation date in mind, it will help expedite the process. Please note it takes 1 week to get a virtual screening room set up.

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Chasing Childhood

All work and no play is no way for kids to grow up.

Cost $0.00