Joybubbles

United States202679 minEnglish

Joybubbles discovers he can manipulate the telephone system by whistling a magic tone. Born blind and yearning for connection, his early obsession unwittingly lays the groundwork for a subculture that shapes the future of hacking and technology.

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A film as uplifting as its protagonist’s chosen name, Joybubbles recounts the story of Joe Engressia, a lonely boy who turned his love for the telephone into a way to connect with the world. One of the first “phone phreaks,” protohackers who used technology to subvert the monopoly of the global telecom network, he defied a paternalistic, ableist society to fulfill his dreams of living an independent life — and insisted on having fun along the way. From operating the Zzzzyzzerrific Funline and adopting the name Joybubbles, to renouncing adulthood’s responsibilities and declaring himself a perpetual 5-year-old, he reclaimed a childhood haunted by trauma to spread joyful wonder to anyone willing to listen. Rachael J. Morrison brings that same sense of delight to her feature debut, creatively employing playful archival material to illustrate Joybubbles’ unforgettable story, told in his own voice. — BT

Available in person. Also available online for the public (January 29–February 1) and credentialed press and industry (January 28–February 1).

U.S. Documentary CompetitionAll FeaturesBiographyDisabled StoriesFirst-Time FeaturesScience & TechnologyNonfictionAudio DescriptionClosed CaptionOpen Audio DescriptionOpen CaptionU.S. Only- less

Credits

Director(s)
Rachael J. Morrison
Producers
Sarah Winshall
Will Butler
Annie Marr
Editors
Bradford Thomason
Patrick Lawrence
Executive Producers
Cameo Wood
Rhianon Jones
Tristan Scott-Behrends
Adora Cheung
Roman Nesis
Kyra Rogers
Todd Remis
George Rush
Music Supervisor
Taylor Rowley
Composer
Will Epstein
Cinematography
Michael Belcher
Ashley Connor
Helki Frantzen
James P. Gannon
Hiroshi Hara
Audio Description Writer
Cheryl Green
Audio Description Narrator
Thomas Reid
Motion Graphics & Animation
Ali Clark
Arthur Jones

Contact
Rachael Morrison
rachael.morrison@gmail.com

Meet the Artist

Rachael J. Morrison

Rachael J. Morrison is a documentary filmmaker and archival producer. Her short documentary Elvers premiered at the 2019 Camden International Film Festival and is featured online as part of The Atlantic Selects. She has worked as an archival producer on documentary series and feature films for over a decade.

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