5.24.10: Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story

Up With People promotes happy, smiling young singers, but this documentary uncovers the group founders' real agenda.

Watch the trailer:

Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story
(2009, dir. Lee Storey)

Smile 'Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story explores the clean-cut, smile-drenched singing phenomenon Up With People. Since 1965, this peppy youth group has sung to 20 million people worldwide, performed at four Superbowl halftime shows, and been parodied on The Simpsons and South Park. Talent was not required of its members, just a common enthusiastic vision to change the world one squeaky-clean song at a time. But its cheery façade concealed the more complicated reality of an organization founded on conservative American ideals and cult-like utopian ideology.

Read more: Director Lee Storey on Smile 'Til It Hurts

Monday, May 24, 2010
7:30 pm
Director Lee Storey and Producer Bari Pearlman will both be in attendance.
The Tribeca Cinemas bar will be open before and after the screening—stop in for a drink and mingle with other movie lovers.

Watch the trailer: