Free Viewing of “Untouchable” – Everyone needs to see this film
In 2016, producers David Feige and Rebecca Richman Cohen released the documentary “Untouchable” and it continues to be one of the most powerful films that chronicles the origin of why we have such harsh laws today for sexual offenses.
The documentary, which is described in the review below, aims to “recognize the many shades of sex crimes and seeks a better system for dealing with offenders at all levels” and highlights that no one who carries the title of ‘sex offender’ on their record is ever given a fair opportunity to move forward in life. The reviewer ends by saying that everyone needs to see this film.
To ensure this happens, FAC is hosting a FREE viewing period until midnight Thursday April 7, 2022. In addition to the FAC members, thousands of viewing invitations have been sent to Florida Legislators, county commissioners, city officials, law enforcement, churches, schools, universities, and media contacts statewide. From now until midnight April 7th, viewers have unlimited access to the film and may share the link as desired.
Enter link: http://www.untouchablefilm.com/film
Enter password: screener0322
For your convenience, there is a digital transcript of the film that you may download for reference, and a Playbill that you may share. Click here for the Transcript of Untouchable and click here for the Playbill.
Following the free viewing period, there will be a PUBLIC conference call on Thursday April 7, 2022 from 1:00-2:00 pm ET with special guests Professor Emily Horowitz, Attorney Val Jonas and the film’s producer, David Feige. To participate, call 319-527-3487. Due to the limited time, callers are encouraged to email questions, comments or desired discussion topics in advance, to membership@floridaactioncommittee.org.
Later that evening, April 7th at 8:00 pm ET on the regularly scheduled Monthly FAC Membership Call, our guest will be Shawna Baldwin, featured in the film, who will address her status as a Registered Citizen, from teen to motherhood, and the projects that she serves today. Call 319-527-3487.
The Florida Action Committee has license to hold free in-person screenings across our state. If you are a member of a religious, academic or civic group and can arrange a facility to conduct a screening, please contact membership@floridaactioncommittee.org to help coordinate an a public screening of this important film. Our goal is to ensure every PTA, political, academic, social organization and citizen of our state who has a stake in the safety and well-being of ALL Floridians, has an opportunity to see the film and consider the impact on ALL citizens and their families. With Unity Comes Change.
‘Untouchable’ is a challenging, but necessary documentary
Film Review – Originally posted Apr 25, 2017-written by James Shotwell
There are few things in this world people have less compassion for than those whose names appear on the ‘National Sex Offender Public Registry’ (NSOPR). It seems many blindly believe this list reveals the monsters who live among us, which serves the better good, but very few actually understand how the list works and what it does to those who appear on it.
‘Untouchable’, a documentary from David Feige, takes a closer look at the registry, its purpose, and the many implications its continued existence has for those on it, as well as their families.
‘Untouchable’ is not a movie trying to downplay the seriousness of sex crimes. If anything, the film aims to recognize the many shades of sex crimes and seeks a better system for dealing with offenders at all levels. As it stands now, the National Sex Offender Public Registry includes everything from convicted pedophiles and rapists, to people who were caught urinating in public after having a few too many drinks. There are no markers or symbols to separate the various crimes committed, so everyone is lumped together and branded ‘sex offenders’ regardless of if such description actually fits the crime. Feige and the numerous talking heads he’s gathered, which cover offenders and lawmakers, argue that because of this mass generalization, treatment and rehabilitation is practically non-existent despite the fact the recidivism rate for sex crimes is incredibly low.
At the center of this story is Florida lobbyist Ron Book and his daughter, Florida Senator Lauren Book, who was molested and tortured by an immigrant housekeeper. It was Book’s response to learning of these horrifying events that set the laws that now dictate the treatment of sex offenders in place, and it’s not hard to understand why. Book, like any parent, wishes to protect their children. When confronted with the reality he had failed to do so, Book reacted as any parent would by taking drastic action to ensure such events never transpired again. His actions did not stop sex crimes outright, but he did forever alter the way the public treats and views those convicted of a sexual crime.
‘Untouchable’ highlights the stories of several convicted sex offenders, all from ages and backgrounds. Each crime is different, with some being far darker than others, but the events that happened in the wake of their convictions are largely the same. The lifelong pedophile is treated the same as someone who never touched another person or viewed illegal materials. As a result, no one who carries the title of ‘sex offender’ on their record is ever able to move forward in life. Those on the NSOPR are virtually unable to find meaningful employment, nor are the able to live where they desire. In fact, many lose homes that may have been in their family for generations because of laws restricting where sex offenders can live. As a result, many on the list are homeless and unemployed, living in groups huddled under bridges or in empty parking lots. Their lives are essentially destroyed forever, yet they are forced to keep on living.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from ’Untouchable’ is that no other type of criminal is treated with same prolonged disdain as sex offenders. Even convicted murderers, for the most part, have an opportunity at parole and a life that extends beyond the shadow of their past. Our nation has found a way to forgive countless crimes and rehabilitate those who perpetrated them, but if you’re convicted of a sex crime the same is not true. Those on NSOPR are written off for life and, as it stands right now, there is no way around that.
‘Untouchable’ stops short of detailing the possible paths to improving our current system. A few ideas are mentioned, some better than others, but ultimately ‘Untouchable’ is a movie that aims to make us more aware of how our current system dehumanizes people. Feige does such a good job outlining the issue and its many intricacies, but he doesn’t come across as a man hoping to carry the torch for change. Instead, he gives us the information we need to know, including many hard truths about how we treat other human beings, and leaves us to consider whether or not we are okay with our own behavior. ’Untouchable’ isn’t afraid to make us uncomfortable, and because of that I have a feeling it will be a movie we talk about for many years to come.
My only hope is that our response does not end at conversation alone. Change is needed, and it is going to require people to be compassionate in a way that initially may go against our instincts, but at the end of the day even the worst people are just people and we cannot lose sight of that.
Everyone needs to see this film.
Sigh. As many have said it was depressing. It’s seems hopeless really. People like the Books have the power, we have such little chance of ever having the laws change, not in our lifetime. Makes me want to live in another country…if I could.
You can live in other countries as a registrant. Google them, there are many countries that do not recognize the US’s SOregistry. Yes the US will make it hard for you but if you are really thinking about this Google will become your best friend. I have been researching Germany and it’s laws regarding US registrants. Many countries recognize the US registry as a tool to make many US citizens into sec.class citizen that make them one small (a minor step) above an illegal immigrant.
I found nothing in this film that most of us don’t already know.
The US Supreme Court ruled registries were okay because recidivism was 80%. It wasn’t even based on anything. Not a damn thing.
People like Ron Book have no desire to hear the truth or learn from the facts and believe what they believe because they believe it. Unfortunately, he is a lobbyist with to much power and sway over Florida’s public servants and they believe what he says is fact, not feeling. This is obvious with his Sept 2021 plea deal that none of the common people would ever get to get out of that DUI.
One gets the feeling that since this is such an emotional topic, some of his preaching on the topic is because it helps him on every other topic he is lobbying form. The man prostitutes himself every day.
Numerous studies have shown the registry and residency restrictions have done nothing to solve the issues nor will they ever. But hey, lets not let that get in the way of making them even more draconian.
90-95% of all sex offenses is by people they know. Not some stranger. And most are first time sex offenders.
That we are pissing away a lot of money NOT to solve the problem and reduce the number of crimes being committed.
My wife assumed from the preview that Ron Book is a crusader for child safety and possibly a hero. That’s how he comes across to viewers who are coming from a different perspective.
I made this same observation years and was degraded by some because of it.
Derek you were spot on.
After again seeing the Books up close I commend you for standing up to them. People with spotless records fear this man. He’s a loose cannon.
You surely showed what poking the bear was like. They also tasted what loosing a fight with you was like.
I watched Untouchable on Peacock with commercials, so not sure I watched it all; however the things I saw I wasn’t impressed. Way to many missed opportunities and I’m disappointed that I didn’t see an interview with FAC. Was there one and what’s the time stamp? Sorry I don’t mean to sound harsh, just want to know if I missed it.
Unfortunately, we can only do the interviews, it was not anyone’s decision but the film maker’s when creating the film.
My face and voice was used in the film but not my interview, and neither was Tom Madison’s or any of the men who protested the Books that day in 2015. We’re lucky that ven WAR got a few seconds on screen. Then Feige went to the NARSOL conference and interviewed people and none of those interviews were used. Not sure if any FAC member was interviewed but that is also a moot point.
I’m really disappointed our movement was relegated to a brief blurb with little context as to why we were protesting.
I can’t help but feel that the Books were catered to way too much in the film. I’ve seen harsher interviews from local news reporters than I saw in the documentary.
I was also disappointed with the guy who said “if you knew what went through my head you’d want to lock me up forever.” That certainly made Book more sympathetic to the ignorant crowd.
I would have liked a film that at least turned up the heat beyond lukewarm.
Derek
That is exactly why I was so hurt, upset and depressed. The one guy kept calling himself a pedophile. Well if he is that and he owns it, I guess for him that is good. But the viewing audience is calling every single person arrested for any sex offense a pedophile.
Then the predator lady pissed me off, then she seemed to soften up a bit, then in the end, went right back to her predator patrols. And she and her posse of low lifes are going around hiding in the bushes waiting for someone on probation to come home a few minutes late, getting their probation revoked. This is what is known as vigilantes.
I do not even look at my own page anymore because every time I do I have to pay a lawyer to get them to correct my information. First off I cannot afford to keep doing that and secondly, every time the lawyer would get it corrected, FDLE would change it to some other false charges. These are lose-lose situations.
Too many powerful people with money are behind all this. And some of them may have dirt on a few judges that keeps them all in cahoots.
The movie played out like if someone twisted the Ukraine war in favor of Russia and made the Ukrainians the bad guys. I am not downplaying anyone’s charges, including my own. But I think the 31 years since my charges, with no arrests or violations speaks for itself.
But the other side in the movie said “It is not if, but when we will re-offend”. Seriously? And thanks for the fake 80 something percent re-offense rate. All the data shows proof in our favor but it is like it just doesn’t exist, even though it was repeated by different studies and were mostly aligned within a small margin.
Brandon -FAC was infuriated that WAR and independent activists. Their directors put up on the landing page of their website “We are not affiliated with WAR and we don’t support their coming here. WAR, Derek, and a couple of others took on the task of sending a snail mail letter to each registrant in Tallahassee to invite them to join us. The president of FAC called 5 RSOL board members complaining about our coming there. Also, she contacted several state leaders of RSOL to voice her opinion. Lastly, a female board member sent me hateul emails and bragged about how she had discontinued her membership. It was to the point that I was ready to get an attorney to send her a Cease and Desist letter. Then FAC had the audacity to show Untouchable at the ATSA Conference, rent a big screen to show it to the guys featured. Had David Feige there too. Then NARSOL presented him an award. Remarkable. None of the RSOL footage was used because RSOL insisted on viewing the film before it was released which is NEVER allowed to happen. And now FAC is concerned that WAR will try to steal their membership so they are collecting money for those members who are attending the Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork events in DC in 2023 and will send them to WAR without the individual contact information. Now let’s see if the truth gets posted here…..
Vicki – why pick fights? FAC is not collecting any money for members who are attending the DC event. That’s the truth. FAC was making significant legislative efforts in Tallahassee while you were planning the protest – those efforts were undermined. While Gail was setting up meetings, legislators believed that FAC was behind the protest and was refusing the meetings.
I feel terrible inside because I absolutely can not watch this film. I get nauseated just looking at Lauren Book. Maybe it’s my own shortcomings, but I have no compassion for her or her family.
ExMedic
Im sorry that seeing/ listening to Lauren makes you nauseous and nobody should make you that uncomfortable, but I understand how you feel. All of us have shortcomings and it’s what you learn that’s the most important. Keep being you and never stop learning/ growing. Growth is what makes you stronger.
I really want to look the Books in the face and say “I’m not the monster here. YOU ARE.”
How much money does this Thing spend on make-up per annum?
After all, it is THE TAXPAYERS dollar that are paying for this and of course all the damn lobbyists contributors!
Tammy Faye, at least Pasted that shit on her face all the time
Who looks worse?
I have a question here .. is legal for a public servant to run a personal vendetta on its citizens? I’m seeing this film and is like is he really dating this ? ( Ron Book) he speaks with so much hatred. Then he confirm that all the laws he is proposing would not have helped his daughter.. so what are u doing ? Are you by any chance passing laws just as a vendetta and not because you are worry for Florida kids? I think a good lawyer need to look at this from the legal perspective, because I’m pretty sure no public officer can use his power and seat to run a personal vendetta that is obvious he has. He don’t care about the data at all, he just hate sex offenders and to me that’s a pretty good sign that he does not care for Florida family or kids even.