by Jacqueline Ghosh
November 9, 2023
What do Tony Hawk and Neil deGrasse Tyson have in common? Michael Ien Cohen wasn’t sure either until a fateful TikTok answered his prayers. Cohen is the producer, director, and protagonist of Humanity Stoked, the 2023 documentary that has taken the independent movie scene by storm. Since its debut, the documentary has won Best Picture at 19 different film festivals around the world. It consists of 70 conversations with pro athletes, musicians, artists, and scientists that are connected by one underlying factor: skateboarding.
I would be remiss to say that Humanity Stoked is a documentary about skateboarding. It’s an exploration of the human experience. Cohen acts as our guide, grounding the film in his personal narrative. He outlines the concept of the “fear-based” lifestyle, a metaphysical cage that holds one back from success and happiness. Each interview elaborates on fear with honesty, compassion, and vulnerability. From individual afflictions—depression and addiction—to systemic discrimination—sexism, racism, xenophobia, and homophobia—to institutional shortcomings—poor education, socioeconomic inequality, and environmental disaster—Humanity Stoked illustrates the interconnected nature of our existence.
I spoke with Cohen before the screening of Humanity Stoked at the Coronado Island Film Festival. I asked him more about the film, its unconventional making, and how he landed interviews with major celebrities including Neil deGrasse Tyson.
You’ve been skateboarding for almost 50 years. What does the sport mean to you?
Cohen: To me, skateboarding is something that helps me feel grounded. Depending on the type of skateboarding, it feels like meditation. Talk to anyone who skates and they can tell you all the lessons it teaches you in determination and self-confidence. It teaches you to get back up and keep trying because, God knows, there’s a ton of falling in the beginning. You get hurt, it’s discouraging, but it teaches you some amazing life lessons.
Ultimately, it’s a form of artistic self-expression. I think that human beings, by nature, are creative beings. [We] have a need to be creative and express ourselves. […] Creative people, in particular, are more likely to experience depression. For a lot of people, including me, it’s a way to express ourselves and enjoy a sense of freedom. […] Not to trivialize it, but there is value in play and fun. As intelligent lifeforms, we require play. Skateboarding is fun and there is value in that.”
What is the mission of Humanity Stoked?
Cohen: The main purpose of the film is to inspire people to look at all types of issues that affect us as individuals to society as a whole, a little bit more deeply, a bit more openly, with a sense of inspiration that will, not only, help us grow as individuals, but also human beings. So, we can move together harmoniously, more open-mindedly, and more successfully. […] It’s not really a documentary about skateboarding. The common thread [throughout the film] is fear, and how it exacerbates all other issues that effect humanity.”
This film is your first—ever. How did you get in touch with everyone involved?
Cohen: This was the ultimate example of nobody from nowhere trying to start from scratch. […] I Googled people’s names, tried to find contact information. I didn’t have an agency, any connections in the business, or an assistant. I had to get super duper creative. […] Sometimes I would go on Instagram and see who was really buddy-buddy with the person I wanted to interview. So I messaged them. I would say, ‘Even if this is in bad taste would you please mind forwarding your friend this email?’ That’s one of many ways I reached out to people. It was unconventional creative thinking.”
What underlying themes did you notice in your process of interviewing 110 people?
Cohen: I’ll preface this by saying that I was very careful about not having any preconceived notions about who these people were. Many people saw the interviews and thought, ‘Oh you must be good friends with these people for them to open up with you on such a personal level.’ No—I had met most of these people 15 minutes before we started rolling. So I really went in with an open slate. […] I did find that among all the people was a genuine concern for humanity and their want to make the world a better place to live in. […] For someone to want to be in a film that offers them no pay, it’s more likely that those who agreed to be in the film resonate with the concept. They had a love for humanity and a desire to be part of something that is good.”
The proceeds from Humanity Stoked are going towards your nonprofit organization. Can you tell me more?
Cohen: As you may know, we produced the film entirely for free. We have support from hundreds of organizations but we never received a dollar from anybody. No one, not even Grammy Award-winning musicians, was allowed to work with me. Everything was gratis so that the revenue the film generates, in perpetuity, goes towards the children’s charity, WhatStopsYou.org.”
What does WhatStopsYou.org do?
Cohen: As the name implies, we help children avoid living the type of life I did, which is fear-based, where you let fear hold you back from growth. Whether that’s with your relationships, your job, your profession, or just you as an individual with your value system. We help educators understand how to help children with educational speakers and youth groups. […] Especially in underprivileged areas that would never normally be able to afford that type of thing. That’s what the organization does.”
How does it feel to have completed your first film, and to have it be so well received?
Cohen: It’s funny, a few years ago we were still in production […] I remember I was crying and someone asked why. I had come to terms with the fact that I might be on my deathbed in my 90s, filled with shame and regret, not for having not achieved success as a humanitarian or filmmaker, but shame and regret for having been too afraid to try.”
It occurred to me suddenly that whatever happened to the film—even if I didn’t finish it, or if I finished it and it was a giant turd—that fear of lying on my deathbed and having the regret and shame of never even trying to do the things that I wanted to do, that ship had sailed. […] I am now living in a fantasy world, for the past year, this is one of those things where someone tells you their most insanely optimistic dreams that are so unlikely… and this became that. I am just astonished and filled with nothing but gratitude about what has happened.”
I have to ask—how did you get Neil deGrasse Tyson in the film?
Cohen: Neil is someone I wanted to be in the film since the moment I conceived it. I am a scientist as much as I am a spiritual person. But I had no idea if Neil was a skateboarder, so I didn’t know if he could be in. Everyone needed to be a current or former skater.
This was in 2017 when there was no film yet. I was like ‘This guy is never going to respond to me,’ and I had no idea how to reach him. So, I designed a gorgeous custom longboard. On the bottom was a beautiful picture of him with two of my favorite quotes of his about the nature of supporting people and moving forward. […] I sent it to the Hayden Planetarium Center at the Museum of Nature History in New York City because he is the chair. I had a feeling that he would see it. […] After 6 months of waiting to hear back, I decided that I needed to let go. Years go by, and we’re almost out of production, editing the section on education and the environment. This is the segment where Neil would go, and I was just kinda bummed.
All of a sudden, I get a direct message on Instagram from a woman I’d never heard of before. In the message was a screenshot of Neil deGrasse Tyson live streaming on TikTok. In it, he was holding this skateboard that I had made and sent him years earlier. I asked this lady, ‘Who the hell are you? What is this?’ and she said ‘Neil was on Tiktok telling his followers how someone made him this skateboard and he doesn’t know why.’ I freak out, I type another email with the picture of Neil. I wrote ‘To whom it may concern, please send this to Neil deGrasse Tyson,” and I sent it to everyone whom I could find that may be associated with Neil.
A week later, in my inbox is a very long message from Neil’s personal email address telling me ‘Mystery solved! Glad you found me.’ And he said he’d be in the documentary.”
At their second meeting, Tyson brought Cohen into his office and sat down. Cohen was surprised, expecting Tyson to spare only a few seconds to sign a skateboard for a WhatStopsYou.org charity raffle. “You did it,” he said. Tyson had seen his Instagram, where Cohen chronicles his life-long battle with depression, his healing, and his miraculous journey to creating Humanity Stoked. Seeing that Tyson was reluctant to part with the illustrious skateboard, Cohen offered to make two more. “There’s three now,” he says. “One for the charity, one for my office, and one for Neil’s.”
The Coronado Film Festival is the final and 41st destination of Humanity Stoked’s worldwide tour. The event will be held on Sunday November 12th at the Coronado Performing Arts Center.
