Rise of the Sufferfests (2016)

Obstacle course racing is the fastest growing sport -- ever -- with millions of people paying upwards of $200 on weekends to suffer through ice, fire, electricity, barbed wire, tear gas, mud and more. And the half-billion dollar question is - WHY? If the thrust of civilization has been safety and comfort, why are people paying for pain? This question lies at the heart of RISE OF THE SUFFERFESTS, the first feature documentary about the global "OCR" phenomenon. The film explores the history of the sport, psychology behind it, personalities that drive it, and most importantly, asks what it says about the world we're living in. To help shed light on the phenomenon, investigative journalist Scott Keneally enlists a motley crew of athletes and insiders from the cultish OCR community, as well as a broad range of notable experts. The self-proclaimed beta-male also dives deep into the crucible, training up and tackling some of the world's most brutal sufferfests. Far from just a movie about mud, it's a film about modern life - and the journey of a "just-enougher" to embrace the suck and toughen up in the face of fatherhood.