Co-produced by the Elon graduate, the feature documentary will screen at the 28th RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem on Saturday, April 18, at 3:30 p.m. and Friday, April 24, at 5 p.m.
What began as a joke – a parody social media page poking fun at a local police department – spiraled into a high-stakes legal battle and ultimately the subject of “Crime & Parody,” a new documentary co-produced by Elon graduate Lumiere Rostick ’20.
The film will screen at the 28th RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem on Saturday, April 18, at 3:30 p.m. and again on Friday, April 24, at 5 p.m. Tickets are available here.
At its center, “Crime & Parody” follows amateur comedian Anthony Novak, whose satirical Facebook page led to a police raid, criminal charges and a broader fight over First Amendment rights in the United States. As the case unfolds – eventually reaching the U.S. Supreme Court – the film expands beyond satire to examine deeper questions around qualified immunity and accountability, weaving in the story of Omar Arrington-Bey, a suburban Cleveland man who died while in police custody, and the lasting impact of police violence.
As a co-producer, Rostick contributed throughout the filmmaking process, from reviewing transcripts and shaping story structure to providing feedback across multiple cuts. Their work with director Will Thwaites evolved over several years, with Rostick helping strengthen the film’s narrative by encouraging the inclusion of additional perspectives that deepen its emotional and societal impact.
“’Crime & Parody’ is an important thought piece wrapped up in a good time,” said Rostick, who was a cinema and television arts and strategic communications double major. “You’ll laugh, reflect, question authority and feel something along the way. At a time when free expression and free speech are being threatened at every turn, the film offers the story of an unlikely hero fighting back.”
The film’s balance of humor and impact is what drew Rostick deeper into the work. Initially attracted to the opportunity to collaborate on an independent project, they said the film ultimately became something more – a chance to move beyond entertainment and contribute to meaningful dialogue.
“This felt like the first opportunity for my work in documentary film to leave a greater impact,” they said.
Rostick, who was an Odyssey Program scholar at Elon, said their foundation in film was shaped during their time at Elon. Through Cinelon, they gained extensive hands-on production experience and developed the work ethic that carried into professional opportunities. This includes traveling to more than 30 shoots nationwide supporting “Children of the Underground,” a five-episode documentary series from FX.
The Elon graduate also credits Nicole Triche, professor of cinema and television arts, with helping define their path. Triche’s documentary course introduced Rostick to the craft and ultimately led them to pursue a career in nonfiction filmmaking – and to an early PBS project that first connected them with Thwaites.
“Crime & Parody” has already built momentum on the festival circuit, premiering at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Montana and screening at the Atlanta Documentary Film Festival, where Thwaites earned Best Director honors.
Now, at RiverRun, the documentary will continue to reach new audiences, inviting viewers to consider not just the absurdity of one man’s arrest, but the broader implications for free speech, justice and accountability in America.