Conspiracy Theories and Their Consequences: 'Aftermath' Premieres at Adelaide Film Festival

A new documentary, Aftermath, is set to premiere at the Adelaide Film Festival, delving into the world of harmful conspiracy theories and their devastating impact on individuals and society.

The film's co-director, Jared Nicholson, has a personal connection to the story, having once been drawn into a dark online space where conspiracy theories thrived. Nicholson's journey began when he encountered video footage of Wendy Scurr, a first responder during the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which remains the worst mass shooting in modern Australian history.

A Descent into Conspiracy Theories

Nicholson recalls being in a "dark place" and getting most of his "news" from far-right podcaster and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. "You're in this echo chamber," he says. "It formed my entire world view."

Scurr, a former St John's ambulance officer, worked at the historic site's information centre and trained many staff members in first aid. However, after the event, she felt abandoned and struggled with PTSD, ultimately falling prey to wildly untrue conspiracy theories that emerged in the wake of Port Arthur.

Nicholson tracked Scurr down and began a three-year process of unraveling her story, becoming close and getting lost in everything. The film explores how a stoic, sensible woman like Scurr could find herself believing in such astonishing untruths.

A Personal Journey of Self-Discovery

Nicholson's own childhood experiences, marked by his parents' split and his father's evangelical zealotry, also feature in the film. "I've got a son who's five years old," Nicholson says. "Had I said the same stuff to him, I could see how messed up he would be."

The film also follows Nicholson's journey of self-discovery, as he grapples with his own fraught childhood and experiences mental health issues. "I had my mental reckoning, a year or so after Wendy's passing, and that was when I started to reflect on my own childhood and go, 'Wow.'"

Telling Difficult Stories

Nicholson teamed up with seasoned documentarian Ben Lawrence to shape Aftermath. Lawrence was initially cautious, saying "When Jared first approached me, the story kind of scared me." However, he believes it's critical that filmmakers tell stories that frighten them.

Lawrence notes that the film highlights the importance of society rushing in to take care of the most vulnerable in times of crisis. "When something like this happens, you need society to be able to rush in and take care of the most vulnerable," Lawrence says.

The film encourages viewers to engage in difficult conversations and try to understand those with different beliefs. "Talk to someone that has a different belief than you," Lawrence says. "Try to understand them. That's what Jared's done in this film, is he really tried to understand Wendy, to humanise her and his own journey."

Nicholson insists that it's vital to discuss the disenfranchisement and what happens when people get lost in dark spaces. "Distrust of governments and the mainstream media has left a lot of people questioning nearly everything," Nicholson says.

The film offers no easy answers but acknowledges that trying times are seeing more people turn to conspiracies. Nicholson is grateful that the Adelaide Film Festival was willing to take on the story, saying "They're risk-takers that back bold stories."