John Maringouin is one of the most promising and exciting documentary filmmakers in the world. Through formal ingenuity and unrelenting fearlessness he has created nonfiction films of mesmerizing hallucinatory power. True/False is proud to have screened two   works in what believe will be a long and important cinematic career.

Running Stumbled (T/F 2007) is the nightmarish and eerily beautiful record of Maringouin’s reunion with his estranged father, the painter Johnny Roe. You can watch Running Stumbled for free right now at mubi.com. T/F’s Kyle Puetz interviewed Maringouin about the film last summer.

Big River Man (T/F 2009) traces Martin Strel’s quixotic quest to become the first person to swim the entire length of the world’s most dangerous river, the Amazon. You can read Manohla Dargis’s NY Times review of Big River Man here.

Like many people in our society, John Maringouin does not have adequate health insurance. He was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, and last week suffered a collapsed lung. He will have to go out of pocket for a life saving operation costing $214K. This operation can not even be booked without a $60K down payment. Fellow filmmaker Stephen Kijak has created a Give Forward campaign to raise this urgently needed down payment as quickly as possible. Please consider helping out our friend during this difficult time.