When it seems like there’s nothing new to say about the Patterson-Gimlin film, it turns out there is something else: the truth. And if you can bear just one more cryptid documentary, the truth is what you ultimately get in Marq Evans’ Capturing Bigfoot. What initially looks to be another rehash of old information winds up becoming the final word on this iconic clip. Whether that’s good or bad news really depends on how much you already believe in Bigfoot.
Only the most tuned-in Bigfooters will likely be ahead of everything revealed in Capturing Bigfoot. That is, if you didn’t already think the Patterson-Gimlin film was a hoax to begin with. But even I, someone who’s been fascinated with cryptids since childhood, was caught off guard by this documentary and its findings. I went in expecting facts, fluff and rosy framing; however, Evans soon verged off the path of affection, revealing a far more interesting doc than I ever anticipated.
The first act of the doc requires a little bit of patience if you were hoping to just dive right into the heart of the story. But, take my word for it: you’re better off on the longer route. The namesakes of the Patterson-Gimlin film, along with everyone associated, are introduced as the quaint folk they are. Keep in mind, Capturing Bigfoot is not out to ridicule or pass judgment; Evans does a remarkable job of staying neutral, but not gutless, and letting the participants dictate the tone (or tones, really).
After you get to know Roger Patterson’s family and friends—in particular Roger’s son Cliff—Evans slowly but surely removes the veil that, for many years, has been hanging on the historical video in question. It’s been widely debated if the creature (a.k.a. Patty, as in “Patterson” rather than Roger’s wife Patty) captured six decades ago is authentic or not; this doc alone offers a smidge of that discourse by including several experts who argue indirectly. It’s not a talking heads kind-of documentary, by the way; you get a real sense of these subjects and their lives, which in the long run, makes the revelations all the more effective.
To everyone watching, the answers would appear obvious. However, it’s the way Evans goes about bringing things to light that makes Capturing Bigfoot so worthwhile, not to mention captivating. Bigfoot is the main draw, of course, yet with some gentle effort, Evans is able to refocus the story on Cliff Patterson, Gimlin and everyone else whose lives have been affected by that short film. They are the heart of this doc, and their presence gives everything here a feeling of newness that hasn’t been felt in a Bigfoot investigation for quite some time.
I won’t go and spoil anything , as Capturing Bigfoot needs to be seen on one’s own terms. Regardless if you’re a believer or not. At the same time, and perhaps most importantly, this documentary doesn’t say you have to stop believing in Bigfoot, either. This is just one instance where the truth was long overdue.
Capturing Bigfoot premiered at South by Southwest 2026.
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