Soleil Moon Frye‘s documentary Werewolf in the Waves, an intimate look at her relationship with late Crazy Town rocker Shifty Shellshock, has a new team riding the surf with her. Leonardo DiCaprio‘s Appian Way and Emmy winner Dax Dasilva have boarded as executive producers.
Frye, who previously directed the nostalgia-laced doc Kid 90 about her experience in Hollywood as a child star turned young adult in the 1990s, directed the majority of Werewolf in the Waves on her iPhone. The footage she captured centers on a reunion with Seth Binzer, aka Shifty, an old friend from childhood. Frye originally set out to document Crazy Town’s comeback tour — the band had a monster smash with “Butterfly” back in the day — until that connection evolved to a love story. However, as sparks were flying, Binzer relapsed on drugs, a tragic spiral that changed the trajectory of the film and his life as he died from an accidental overdose in the summer of 2024.
Frye directed the film, which has already played at some film festivals. She serves as an executive producer alongside Appian Way’s Jennifer Davisson and Phillip Watson, Dasilva and Binzer’s sisters, Aubrey Binzer and Mieke Binzer Dumont. Frye and Appian Way previously worked together on Kid 90, which streamed on Hulu.
“Having Dax join us as an executive producer feels incredibly meaningful,” said Frye of the producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who won an Emmy for outstanding nature documentary for Wildcat. “His heart, vision and passion for this story mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that he is helping us carry Seth’s legacy forward.”
She continued: “Seth’s dream was to share his journey with the world, to help those struggling with addiction and mental health challenges feel less alone and to create greater understanding and compassion. I am forever grateful for my children, Seth’s sisters, our loved ones and everyone who stood beside us throughout this journey. It is my sincere hope that this film inspires meaningful conversations and reminds us to meet one another with greater empathy, compassion and understanding.”
Per the filmmakers, Dasilva’s involvement is part of an ongoing commitment to doc and impact-driven storytelling, following such work as Wildcat and the environmental doc Yanuni. He serves as a producer on the upcoming Jane Goodall documentary Just Me, Jane. He’s also the founder of the global commerce platform Lightspeed Commerce and Age of Union, a nonprofit dedicated to conservation initiatives through film, media and cultural engagement.
“As an impact-producer searching for deeply personal and inspiring stories that will reach audiences and create change, I was struck by Werewolf in the Waves,” he said in a statement. “Soleil Moon Frye’s unfiltered perspective on addiction and loss connects to the resilience, heart and love at the center of so many stories for the millions of Americans who have been personally impacted by drug addiction. I hope through this story others can understand addiction more closely, find more empathy and love for those facing these hurdles and join the film’s final call to seek help if you or someone you know is hurting.”
In addition to Werewolf in the Waves and Kid 90, Frye directed The Carters: Hurts to Love You, a two-parter about the Carter family (siblings Nick, Aaron and Angel) and their journey through fame amid mental health, addiction and other challenges. She’s repped by CAA and Tyler Kroos at Kroos Entertainment Group.
