Robert Greene's 'Too Much Sugar' Premieres in Venice

Robert Greene's documentary 'Too Much Sugar' has premiered in Venice's Orizzonti sidebar, bringing a playful and high-energy film to the forefront. The documentary explores the life of Ryan Hollinger, also known as 'Holli-wood', a self-styled patriarch with six children by five different mothers.

The film features a cast including Ryan Holliger, Michael Midgyett, Amanda Sanner, and others, and is 1 hour 38 minutes long. Robert Greene first met Ryan Hollinger at a middle-school basketball game in Moberly, Missouri, where Hollinger would often rant and shout, eventually leading to a friendship and collaboration between the two.

Ryan Hollinger, a former amateur MMA fighter and sometime carpenter, is the star and co-creator of the documentary. The film's unique approach allows each participant to make a short film of their choosing, which Greene then edits into a single, shape-shifting family portrait. This approach subverts Hollinger's initial perception of the film, which was intended to be about fatherhood, and instead explores themes of grief, trauma, healing, and liberation.

## What makes 'Too Much Sugar' unique The documentary's use of collaborative directing, where real people are employed to both be themselves and perform in movie-like reenactments, creates a unique form of cine-therapy. This approach has become Greene's trademark, as seen in his previous efforts, 'Bisbee '17' and 'Procession'.

## Why it matters The film's exploration of a working-class family in small-town America offers a seldom-depicted perspective on love, family trauma, and heartbreak. With its unexpected angle of hard-won uplift, 'Too Much Sugar' is likely to be a crowd-pleaser on the docfest circuit, providing a revealing and entertaining look at the complexities of family relationships.

The documentary's premiere in Venice's Orizzonti sidebar marks the beginning of its journey, and with its unique approach and engaging storyline, it is expected to resonate with audiences and leave a lasting impression.