Kingdom of Us

In 2007, Paul Shanks committed suicide, leaving behind a wife and seven children, five of whom are on the autism spectrum. Combining as-it-happens filmed footage with the vast amounts of video Paul made of himself and his family in the years leading up to his death, KINGDOM OF US chronicles the years after his death as Vikie Shanks tries to remain strong for her kids. Through interviews and the video footage, Paul is shown to be, initially, a loving, creative, and dedicated father who starts to succumb to depression and obsessive behavior — so much so that as his condition deteriorates, he plans in intricate detail the murders of his wife and kids before taking his own life. As the years pass, the family begins to go through Paul’s vast collection of home videos, diaries, and even his suicide note as the perspective gained from the passage of time and the love for each other begins to provide, if not closure, a way forward through the pain.