Man in the Arena is written and directed by filmmaker Michael Barnes. In researching and making the film, Barnes and his team were able to access an unparalleled collection of credible and previously unrevealed primary sources. Barnes uses a creative light hand to permit the source material to speak for itself in presenting Roger Ailes and evaluating his impact in a balanced context. The result is an extraordinary film seamlessly comprised of almost 2000 images and recordings spanning almost 80 years. Barnes hewed to Ailes’ own words: “What they called me is opinion; what I’ve done is on the record.”
Michael Barnes notes that, “Man in the Arena is timely as our society debates the meaning of free speech and whether the search for truth is advanced by listening to other points of view. My aim is to present Roger Ailes accurately and in context, to give viewers a deeper understanding of what free speech actually means, and to fascinate them with the incredible and unlikely story of Roger Ailes and the obstacles he continually overcame.”