Monstrous Me

Monstrous Me is a documentary set for release on August 9, 2026. The film follows Ariel, who at age three — disabled and disfigured — was left in the partial care of a babysitter who brought a boyfriend, marijuana, and a VHS copy of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Watching from beneath a coffee table, through stair railings, Ariel saw their own reflection in Freddy Krueger on a Zenith television screen. That formative encounter became the basis for a philosophy: that there is agency in identifying as a monster rather than accepting the role of martyr.