What do you do when something you've created, a drawing or a song, has become a symbol and a beacon for the worst people?
Do you disown yourself from it, do you try to regain control, or do you try to realign that creation to its original intent? That's exactly the same dilemma that Matt Furie faced when the comic-book character he created, Pepe The Frog, became a symbol for neo-Nazis and white nationalists.
The upcoming documentary 'Feels Good Man' tells the inexplicable tale of how Pepe The Frog, originally posted on MySpace of all places, became co-opted as a meme by neo-Nazis, white nationalists, and the alt-right - making it all the way to Donald Trump.
In the documentary, Furie details how his creation - which was originally about a slacker frog who likes to pee with his pants down around his ankles and says that it "feels good man" - became used in some horrific imagery, from what he originally intended.
On top of that, the documentary also touches on how extremist politics have been shaped by dark corners of the internet, whether something as ephemeral as a meme can be redeemed (or even it should be), and coming to terms with the fact that something you've created is ultimately being used against you and those you love.
'Feels Good Man' premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be available from September 4th.
Here's the trailer.
