Surviving Ohio State
Interview with producer/director Eva Orner
Film is now streaming on MAX
Describe the film for us in your own words.
SURVIVING OHIO STATE tells the story of the male victims of Dr. Richard Strauss, a sports medicine physician and serial sex abuser employed by The Ohio State University (OSU) from 1978 to 1998. Bravely told by the student-athletes and others who concealed their trauma for years, the film builds on the efforts of whistleblowers and journalists who exposed the scandal in 2018. It also examines the culture that allowed the abuse to continue unchecked for nearly two decades at OSU, as well as the survivors’ present-day fight to hold the school accountable.
What drew you to this story?
The stories and bravery of the survivors.
What do you want people to think about?
How society views male sexual abuse. How universities are complicit on covering up stories like these.
What was the biggest challenge in making this?
Telling a complex story that spans decades in under 2 hours.
What was the development process? How did you get green lit?
We pitched it to streamers and HBO came on board.
What inspired you to become a storyteller?
I’ve been doing it so long I honestly can’t remember. It’s all I’m good at!
What’s the best and worst advice you've received?
Worst - filmmaking is too risky do something else. Become a lawyer.
Best - trust your gut.
What advice do you have for other female creatives?
If it’s what you want to do, do it!
Name your favorite woman directed film and why.
I’m not big into lists. I love Agnes Varda to Chloe Zhao to Celine Song and many many in between.