Excited Delirium: The Invention of a Disease

This innovative documentary proposal seeks the opportunity to expand a short documentary into a full-length commercial film with the potential for significant cultural and social impact. The documentary will investigate the origins and implications of "excited delirium syndrome," a controversial medical diagnosis often used to justify police violence against Black and Brown communities in the United States. Originating in the 1980s, the syndrome was identified by Charles Wetli, a Miami-based medical examiner. Wetli claimed that individuals with excited delirium exhibit superhuman strength, are impervious to pain, and die suddenly due to heart failure in police presence, ignoring the effects of forceful police restraints and taser applications. This diagnosis spread across the US, the UK, and Canada, obscuring systemic violence. The film will unravel this history, explore its ties to the criminalization of Afro-Cubans and other Black people in the United States, and provide a multifaceted platform combining humanities and social science research into a compelling narrative. Utilizing historical context, archival footage, critical analysis, animation, and visual storytelling, the film aims to equip viewers with tools to challenge and reshape medical narratives that justify systemic violence against racial minorities. By examining contemporary relevance, such as the syndrome's use in Officer Derek Chauvin’s defense in the killing of George Floyd, the film highlights the ongoing impact of this diagnosis. This project aligns with the Innovation Forum's mission to showcase research with commercialization potential and societal impact, fostering dialogue and understanding around critical social issues.