“Who is Charlie Kirk?” A Quest for Truth

Barry Walton
Oct 2
3 min read

BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO WATCH

After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, filmmaker Barry Walton felt a deep conviction to understand this influential cultural figure better. Traveling to the memorial in Glendale, Arizona, he spoke with people waiting outside the State Farm Stadium, asking them one by one: Who is Charlie Kirk? With emotions running high, each offered passionate answers, sharing personal perspectives on the man. As the event began, the filmmaker, after hours of waiting in line, was locked out by the Secret Service. What followed was an unexpected turn that leaves viewers emotionally moved and challenges them to see things in a new light, ultimately asking themselves the question: Who is Charlie Kirk?

BLOG ENTRY

I spent the last two weeks tackling one of the most controversial topics I have ever worked on. After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I posted my support on social media, then decided to travel to the Memorial and Tribute in Glendale, Arizona. There, I asked several audience members the question: “Who is Charlie Kirk?” The responses and experience overall were opening and inspirational to say the least.

Some of you may remember that back in 2020, I traveled the country during the COVID lockdowns, filming the empty cities of LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, D.C., and more. The trip was to create the film Empty America, which was also controversial. During that time, I faced plenty of criticism and pushback on social posts for my choice to go and share, as well as my counter-culture take on the experience. To my surprise, the reactions to this project, both praise and criticism, were many times greater.

So why do it, you might ask?

I feel strongly that it is important in life to follow one’s convictions, even if those convictions are unpopular. After all, life is not a popularity contest, and one must choose at some point what they believe in and stand up for it. And to the point of this project, one should not have to fear that they could be killed for that choice, which seemed obvious to me upfront. Would anyone say MLK, JFK, RFK, Lennon, Malcome X, or the like, deserved what they got because of what they said?

Strangely, that was the interpretation I got from anyone saying, “…but Barry, you know Charlie Kirk said, [fill in the blank].”

My point is that talking and listening are the only paths forward. No matter your view on Charlie or the topic itself, I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch this piece. I believe you will be as inspired and moved as I was.

VISION GOING FORWARD

We are going on a quest to uncover the truth about "Who is Charlie Kirk?" Beginning at the tribute in Glendale, Arizona, our journey follows in Charlie’s footsteps—starting with his first university and tracing the trajectory of his path through key locations and defining debates, culminating in the final confrontation where he was ultimately killed. Along the way, we will ask students, antagonists, and former debate participants to step up to the mic in true "Charlie Kirk" and "Turning Point" style, answering the central question: "Who is Charlie Kirk?"

In parallel, we will unfold the personal story of Charlie Kirk. Through interviews with national figures, Turning Point staff, close friends, and family members, we will reveal a side of Charlie known only to those closest to him. Mixing interviews, campus footage, archives, and other assets, the film will weave together perspectives from all sides to tell his story in an articulate, thought-provoking, and balanced way—ultimately leaving the audience to decide for themselves: "Who is Charlie Kirk?"

CURRENT DONATIONS

We started small with a BIG vision. From here, we would like to connect with Turning Point to gain their support. As we go forward to the full length project, we are looking for individuals to help fund the project. We set a goal to raise $85,000 by a single source or organization and to raise an additional $15,000 in grassroots donations like these individuals here.

OUR DONORS:

Mark Gilligan

Steve Koroloczuk

Doug & Susan Parkhurst

Amanda Swiggum

Michael Wish

Lauri Lilly

Mark Eckel

Mikel McClellan

George & Judy Walton

Kecia Rodreguez

This project was made possible by the kind donations of 10 people via two platforms totaling $2375.00.