Award Winning Vermont Film, Gone Guys, Now Available for School, Library, & Non-Profit Screenings
The Film Shines a Light on the Quiet Crisis Facing Boys and Young Men in Vermont
Across Vermont, parents, teachers, and community leaders are grappling with a troubling trend: too many boys and young men are feeling disconnected—from school, from work, and from each other. They’re falling behind academically, struggling with loneliness, and searching for purpose.
Gone Guys, a powerful new documentary from Well Told Films, steps directly into that conversation. Since premiering in July, the film has been drawing crowds to community screenings across Vermont, sparking honest dialogue about how we can help boys and young men re-engage and thrive.
Free and low-cost screening licenses are now available to help more communities engage with the film’s message. Vermont-based public schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations can host screenings at no cost, while low-cost licenses are available to other groups, including those outside Vermont. These opportunities are supported by the Richard E. and Deborah L. Tarrant Foundation and the Vermont Community Foundation and include access to discussion materials and video content designed to encourage reflection and dialogue.
Educators at Middlebury Union High School recently gathered to view the film together. “Screening Gone Guys on our full in-service day for our faculty was an incredibly valuable day. We appreciated the opportunity to watch such a compelling film together, and then have space to discuss our thoughts, examine our practices, and think of next steps we'd like to pursue. It all felt very worthwhile,” said Eileen Sears, curriculum coordinator. “Some of our takeaways included asking: how can we make this more a part of our system? How do we create richer, authentic opportunities for students to genuinely affect change within our school, so their thoughts, feelings, and opinions matter and are heard?”
At Proctor Academy in New Hampshire, the response was similarly strong. “After the full auditorium screening with students and staff, we broke into smaller groups for discussion,” said Gregor Makechnie, director of athletics. “A number of faculty shared that they had exceptional conversations with their groups.”
Since its launch, Gone Guys has earned widespread recognition. The film won Best Documentary Feature at the Vermont Film Festival and received the Jonathan Daniels Award at the Monadnock International Film Festival, honoring films that fuse social awareness with artistic excellence.
“This film is incredibly important, and I’m heartened to see the momentum it’s already building in our community,” said Michelle Owens, director of marketing & audience engagement at Vermont Public. “At Vermont Public, we care deeply about sharing stories that bring people together and spark meaningful conversation. Supporting Gone Guys is one way we can help our community listen, learn, and connect with one another.”
Vermont Public will join the film’s statewide tour as media sponsor through November and December, and audiences can look forward to discussions and panel events featuring on-air talent.
Since July, Gone Guys has fielded over 130 requests for community-hosted screenings from across Vermont, the U.S., and internationally. Upcoming stops on the Vermont tour include Randolph, Rutland, Waitsfield, Newport, Enosburg Falls, and St. Albans, with more locations to be announced. To learn more, visit goneguysfilm.com to watch the film trailer, view additional resources, and sign up to host a screening.
About the Film
Over the past fifty years, boys and young men have steadily disengaged from school, work, and broader society. They’re falling behind academically, struggling with loneliness and isolation, and facing rising rates of substance abuse and suicide.
Gone Guys, a 45-minute documentary, draws on the influential work of Richard V. Reeves’ Of Boys and Men, illuminating these challenges through powerful data and compelling personal stories. Many of us have experienced these issues first-hand, but it can be difficult to talk about them. It’s not an either-or choice: caring more about boys and men does not mean caring less about women and girls.
Set in rural Vermont, the film brings national data to life with engaging animation accompanying lived experience featuring young men, educators, mentors, and trailblazing programs that are working to re-engage boys and young men in their communities and reshape their futures.
Come see the film and use it to spark meaningful conversations with the young men and boys in your life.
