Butch Reynolds was meant to run. A sprinting star from the moment his shoes hit the track, Reynolds quickly established his running prowess as a World record holder in the 400-meter dash and as an Olympic Gold medalist in the 4 x 400 relay in 1988. The dream implodes in 1990 when a drug test reports a (false) positive for steroid use, and Reynolds is suspended for two years. Despite legal evidence proving lab processing errors, the decision from the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) impacts the rest of his running career. The wrongly accused athlete is here to share the truth with a kind but firm eye lock as he holds the camera’s gaze. Brimming with archival material and the multiple perspectives of his family, coaches, and lawyers, False Positive is a robust portrait of Reynolds’s courageous fight to clear his name against the IAAF, which refused to budge on its decision or to publicly apologize. KR

Filmmaker Q&A following screening