Media Coverage of Dad Genes
Deadline
Dances With Films Sets Slate For Festival’s 4th Annual New York Edition: “Among the world premiere documentary features is Dad Genes, directed Craig Downing, in which “a former sperm donor’s discovery that he’s fathered dozens of children thrusts him into the global spotlight and transforms him from anonymous donor to unconventional family man.”
Overly Honest Movie Reviews
Redefining Fatherhood Without a Roadmap: ★★★★☆ “Dad Genes succeeds by knowing what kind of story it wants to be…a study of human adaptability, filtered through one man’s unexpected reckoning with responsibility and connection…a thoughtful, well-crafted examination of modern family dynamics.” — Chris Jones
First Time Go
Benjamin Duchek interviews Dad Genes Director Craig Downing and Editor Sara Barger: “It shouldn't surprise you that somebody who is out looking for ‘weird stories that connect and resonate’ would direct Dad Genes…Craig Downing has been around the world looking for great stories and when he finds one, he sticks to it, no matter the time it takes to tell…the film had its world premiere at Dances With Films NYC — and Sara Barger put all this together with phenomenal editing skills…Sara is how all people should be in film, regardless of gender: fierce advocates for their art.” — Benjamin Duchek
LiFO
10 films that we highlighted from the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival: “A completely true, completely outrageous and at the same time enjoyable story of family madness, love, tenderness and genuine emotion, full of twists and turns that rival the most inventive fiction. The most crucial, however, are the questions that the film, with a wisely light tone, poses: what constitutes family after all and what is its importance in the 21st century.” — Thodoris Koutsogiannopoulos
Proto Thema
The true story behind the documentary Dad Genes, which gained worldwide fame and is coming to the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival: “A story that seems unlikely, but is absolutely true…Dad Genes doesn't just focus on the shock of the revelation or the peculiarity of the family structure…With a balance between humor, emotion and observation, the documentary explores what family means...how blood ties are redefined and what happens when nature, selection and technology meet in ways no one had predicted.”— Anna Dallari
Business Doc Europe
Thessaloniki Doc Fest trailer/clip: Dad Genes by Craig Downing: Dad Genes was featured in Business Doc Europe with an exclusive clip ahead of its sold-out international premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival.
CBC Up North
Director Craig Downing interviewed by CBC Up North’s Jonathan Pinto: “When a Seattle man donated to a sperm bank in the '90s, he never thought he'd meet any of the children, or that there would be 60 of them!”
Daytime
Director Craig Downing interviewed by Daytime hosts Maggie Rodriguez and Farron Hipp: “When Aaron Long donated his sperm in the 1990’s, he had no idea how far it would go. The Dad Genes documentary that recently premiered at the Sunscreen Film Festival followed his journey to meet his biological children and discover a new meaning of family.”
Bloom
Director Craig Downing interviewed by Bloom host Amber Freeman: “They were defining their own terms for family. It’s up to you to determine it for yourself. We get to see these relationships authentically developing.”
MEDIA COVERAGE OF AARON’S STORY
The New York Times published a Modern Love article by Aaron Long, the central character of Dad Genes.
Since then, this unique story has gone viral and has continued to spark deep interest across a wide spectrum of national broadcast, print, and digital media, including features on Good Morning America, People, BBC News, Yahoo!, USA Today, and more.
Aaron’s family and love story has reached people near and far, with coverage spanning all U.S. regions and six continents across the globe.
Dad Genes follows the subjects behind the scenes as they experience growing media exposure, providing an in-depth look at this modern family.
Feature Story Highlights
The New York Times Modern Love
“First I Met My Children, Then My Girlfriend. They’re Related.”
Good Morning America
“Woman Finds Love With Her Sperm Donor More Than a Decade After Having His Baby.”
People
“Oregon Mom Falls in Love With Sperm Donor 13 Years After Giving Birth to His Daughter.”
The Mirror UK
“Lesbian Mum Falls in Love With Sperm Donor After Having His Baby With Her Wife.”
Additional Media Selects
U.S. Media
International Media
