A Gray State

This 2017 documentary, directed by Erik Nelson and executive produced by Werner Herzog, investigates the tragic deaths of aspiring filmmaker David Crowley, his wife, and daughter in their Minnesota home in 2015. Crowley, an Iraq veteran, was working on a dystopian film, Gray State, about a totalitarian government. The documentary uses Crowley’s extensive personal footage, interviews, and archival material to explore his descent into paranoia and mental illness, while addressing conspiracy theories alleging government assassination. It examines the blurred lines between reality and belief in a polarized, conspiracy-driven world.