ECHOES IN THE NIGHT: THE SEARCH FOR JACOB WETTERLING is now finished, and we're excited to start sharing it with audiences. Do you have questions? Here, we answer some Frequently Asked Questions. If you don't find the answer you're looking for, feel free to contact us.
QUESTION: What is ECHOES IN THE NIGHT: THE SEARCH FOR JACOB WETTERLING?
ANSWER: In October 1989, on a quiet road in St. Joseph, Minnesota, Jacob Wetterling was abducted by a masked gunman while riding his bike home from the store. For 27 years, the question of what happened to Jacob hung over the community like a dark cloud. Haunting as it was, Jacob served as an inspiration for tremendous good, with his family leading a movement to reform laws and advocating for prevention of crimes against children.
In 2015, our team of Minneapolis-based filmmakers embarked on a documentary project that would lead us on a truly unexpected journey. After meeting several times with Jacob's parents, we started filming on what turned out to be the very week the perpetrator was finally arrested.
In the years since, we have followed the breaking news in the case, and focused on the ceaseless search for Jacob, the wide-reaching impacts of Jacob's story, and the reverberating effects the crime has had on several people at the very center of it. In the end, we feel we have succeeded in producing a film that honors Jacob's memory by telling a truthful, haunting, but ultimately hopeful tale, of how an unthinkable crime touched so many lives.
In 2015, our team of Minneapolis-based filmmakers embarked on a documentary project that would lead us on a truly unexpected journey. After meeting several times with Jacob's parents, we started filming on what turned out to be the very week the perpetrator was finally arrested.
In the years since, we have followed the breaking news in the case, and focused on the ceaseless search for Jacob, the wide-reaching impacts of Jacob's story, and the reverberating effects the crime has had on several people at the very center of it. In the end, we feel we have succeeded in producing a film that honors Jacob's memory by telling a truthful, haunting, but ultimately hopeful tale, of how an unthinkable crime touched so many lives.
QUESTION: What is the status of the film?
ANSWER: After ten years, and several hundred hours of raw material captured and collected, our talented post-production team has shaped the material into a feature-length documentary, with a runtime of 1 hour, 53 minutes. The film celebrated its World Premiere in April 2026 at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival with three sold-out screenings. The film is currently enjoying a limited theatrical release at movie theaters throughout Minnesota.
QUESTION: Can I see the film in a movie theater?
ANSWER: If you missed us at the film festival, don't worry! For moviegoers in the Twin Cities area and in other parts of Minnesota, come see the film on the big screen, August-September. There also may be future opportunities to see it on the big screen -- stay tuned for more announcements about that. In the meantime, you can sign up for the e-newsletter here.
QUESTION: I can't find a theatrical screening near me. What do I do?
ANSWER: Wouldn't it be great to experience it on the big screen in your own home town? In some cases, you can make a request at your local movie theater (especially if it is locally owned, or operated by a small business) to book the film to its schedule. Have the theater operator or manager contact us here. Because we are a small independent film, they may not have heard of it, so be sure to tell them why you think you and your neighbors would be interested in seeing it. Have a yearly film festival in your town? You can likewise make a request to the film festival organizers to include the film.
QUESTION: What about streaming?
ANSWER: If you're like most of us, you watch a lot of films at home these days. That's especially important when that documentary gem you want to watch never made it to the local multiplex. We are actively working on a plan to make the film available for broadcast and/or streaming. No concrete date or platform has been set, but we hope to announce something before too long -- stay tuned for more announcements about that. In the meantime, you can sign up for the e-newsletter here.
QUESTION: Can I follow the film on social media?
ANSWER: Yes! And please tag us when you post about the film, and share us with your friends. You can find us on Facebook here, on Instagram here, and on Twitter here.
QUESTION: Is there subject matter in the film that I should be aware of, for sensitive viewers?
ANSWER: Yes. The film contains descriptions of and/or visual content related to: sexual exploitation of children, sexual assault of children, child abduction, child murder, and suicidal ideation. While it is not overly graphic, it is based on a true story with a lot of facts that can be hard to hear when described. There are also a few instances of swearing.
QUESTION: Is the Wetterling family supportive of this film?
ANSWER: Yes. It was important to us to get the blessing of Jacob's parents prior to starting this project. We also wanted to include Jacob's parents in the film, and they were gracious enough to spend several hours with us on multiple occasions. The story is told, in part, in their own words. Moreover, Patty and Jerry Wetterling have been involved in our outreach efforts, appearing at several of our events and speaking to the importance of this documentary. They see it as an meaningful way of honoring Jacob's legacy.
QUESTION: Is this the same thing that aired on ABC 20/20?
ANSWER: No. In July 2026, ABC's flagship investigative program 20/20 aired a new, two-hour episode focused on the Jacob Wetterling story, titled "Where Are You Jacob?". In the episode, our documentary's director Chris Newberry was interviewed to talk about the experience of making our documentary, and some clips of our documentary were shown (with our permission). But this 20/20 episode is something completely different than our documentary. You may have come across 20/20's "Where Are You Jacob?" on Hulu, on Disney+, or on ABC's website. We are excited that 20/20 decided to highlight our behind-the-scenes journey making Echoes in the Night, but viewers should not confuse "Where Are You Jacob?" or any other news story or YouTube video for Echoes in the Night. You're gonna want to watch the real thing, believe me!
QUESTION: Are you affiliated with a television network or Hollywood studio?
ANSWER: No. We are an independent documentary crew based in Minnesota. This is a hometown story for us, so we’ve been doing it as a labor-of-love. However, we really want to share Jacob’s story with the world, and we believe that someday soon this film will be distributed far and wide by a big broadcaster or streaming service. We have had discussions with several distributors and broadcasters, and have even received offers from some of them. But we're holding out for someone who truly understands the film and can help us reach the widest possible audience.
QUESTION: Are you affiliated with the IN THE DARK podcast?
ANSWER: No. We were, however, already producing the film back in 2015-2016, capturing several key moments in Jacob’s case. Therefore we were working parallel to the IN THE DARK team, as well as dozens of other members of the local and national press. IN THE DARK is an incredible example of great investigative journalism and the podcast is definitely worth a listen. We, on the other hand, are not investigative journalists and our focus will be very different from the podcast. IN THE DARK cultivated a huge fan base, and in-turn brought Jacob’s story to a whole new generation of people. And anyone who listened to Season One of IN THE DARK will absolutely find our film to be an illuminating new look at Jacob’s story.
QUESTION: Are you still raising money for the film?
ANSWER: For the past several years, we have been raising money from donors to help with finishing costs. We raised over $100,000, and it was instrumental in getting us across the finish line. But finishing a film is expensive, so our costs have certainly outpaced our fundraising. While we are no longer actively seeking donations, any funds that do come in will be put to good use, re-editing for a broadcast version of the film, paying for insurance and legal fees associated with distributing a film, and helping us promote the film far and wide at film festivals and other important events. If you'd like to help with a contribution, the easiest way is to give to our GoFundMe. Of course, giving isn't the only way you can help. You can help us spread the word by following us on social media (here is our Facebook page) and sharing our content. And you can sign up for the e-newsletter here. If a tax deduction is helpful to you, you may donate to the film through our fiscal sponsor. Instructions can be found here.