Evan Rachel Wood will detail her experience with Marilyn Manson in documentary premiering at Sundance
The documentary, Phoenix Rising, premieres virtually at Sundance on January 23
Evan Rachel Wood has declined to give interviews on surviving domestic abuse at the hands of former partner Marilyn Manson (whose real name is Brian Warner), but she will detail her story in the upcoming documentary Phoenix Rising, which premieres at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, per Rolling Stone.
The documentary is directed by Amy Berg (Janis: Little Girl Blue, The Case Against Adnan Syed) and was filmed in two parts; only the first part will be shown at Sundance. As reported by Rolling Stone, the documentary “will find Wood reclaiming her story in a culture that instinctively blames women, and will follow her as she moves toward naming her famous abuser for the first time.” Phoenix Rising will also air in full on HBO in the spring.
The title, Phoenix Rising, is in reference to the Phoenix Act, a California law that Wood helped create and advocate for, which extends the statute of limitations on domestic violence from three to five years, and requires for police officers to undergo training to provide better help for domestic partner violence survivors. Wood’s testimony on behalf of the act marked the first time she spoke publicly about her experience with domestic abuse. Speaking to the California Senate Public Safety Committee, Wood detailed the horrific, alleged abuse she endured, though she did not identify Manson as her abuser at the time.
Wood also shared the news on social media, writing on Instagram, “I can finally share with the world, I have teamed up with Amy Berg on a project called Phoenix Rising, a documentary exploring aspects of my life, career, family, the passage of #ThePhoenixAct, and ultimately the decision to name my abuser publicly.”
Those who want to watch the documentary at Sundance will have two opportunities to do so. This year’s festival will remain virtual, and besides the premiere on January 23, there will be a second screening on January 25. Festival passes are currently available, and tickets for specific screenings go on sale Thursday, January 13 at 12 p.m. ET.