Slamdance Film Festival 2025 – In 2012, Rudy Eugene maimed a homeless man on a Miami highway and bit his face. This led to a media frenzy and the zombie bath salts phenomenon. Eugene was shot and killed by police. However, toxicity reports showed no traces of bath salts in Eugene’s system, despite the media firestorm. Know Me is a gripping narrative feature based on the case, which seeks, in part, to set the record straight.

The film’s director, Edson Jean, stars as the grief-stricken Kenson, who’s determined to defend his brother Jimmy’s (Donald Paul) name after the “bath salts” incident. From the outset, the film carefully weaves together the close relationship between the siblings and the profound impact that the loss has on Kenson. Their relationship is enhanced through various black and white flashbacks from their childhood to adulthood that detail the relationship further, while exploring why Jimmy may have attacked someone. The film is very careful to humanize Jimmy, while showcasing the good and the bad about his character. There’s even a point where he talks about quitting marijuana because he found salvation in religion. This is contrasted with another flashback that shows behavior and mental health issues early on.

Aspects of the film also play out like a thriller. Kenson has more than one nightmare about Jimmy nearly biting him. The close-ups of Jimmy’s face and gnawing teeth are indeed frightening. Yet, these nightmares are likely products of the constant media coverage and bath salts chatter. The coverage permeates the film, playing over radio stations and TVs constantly, to the point it’s almost laughable, especially when news anchors entertain the possibility of actual zombies.

The film has another narrative layer regarding a reporter named Stephanie (Shein Mompremier), who’s also a long-time friend of Kenson’s. Her editor presses her to cover the story and treat it as though Jimmy was definitely on bath salts. At one point, he talks about the clicks and the money such a feature story could bring. This provides another ethical quandary in an already layered, yet lean film. More than once, Stephanie says the national coverage of the incident and Jimmy’s death is more akin to sensationalism than it is to journalism. Meanwhile, Kenson and his mother have to deal with the aftermath of Jimmy’s death, including the local Haitian community quick to turn its back, convinced that Jimmy was on drugs. Kenson and his mom sure have to deal with a lot, but getting turned away by a local pastor (Richardson Chery) is one of the film’s most infuriating moments. Kenson even points out that he attended the church as a kid and long after, but it doesn’t matter. The church doesn’t want negative attention.

Know Me is a gripping film, a harrowing ride about media sensationalism and how it can destroy a family. It’s also an honest and emotional portrayal of grief. Jean’s second feature, even with its tight runtime, carries a lot of weight.