The ancient admonition “know thyself” stems back to ancient Egyptian and Greek writers and philosophers, and generally means learning to understand one’s own being—especially through understanding other beings, cultures or ideas. Wisconsin graphic printer and designer Jay Bachochin has dedicated himself for years to the pursuit of that scientifically unknown creature called Bigfoot, in an effort to see and understand what this phenomenon might actually be and discern more about himself in the process.
He is aware of the ways this quest has become a driving force in his life, as his passion to somehow document the creature is often at odds with his equally dedicated role as a family man. In this film, we watch him balancing the two goals by bringing his wife and children to the winter forests of Wisconsin on occasion, or, more often, braving dark nights in rough territory with only a flashlight to show the way.
In full disclosure, I’ve hiked numerous trails with Bachochin over the past half-decade, and have watched him dash off into the darkness to give chase to some creature just out of our sight. I’ve also seen him take a hard knock in the head from some invisible force as we walked a path in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. (Both incidents are covered in the film.) Nothing discourages him, and I think the fact that his title is “Finding Jay” rather than “I Found Jay” tells us that there is probably a “Still Looking for Jay” in the works.
This film is a two-hour trek that distinguishes itself as the thoughtful overview of a true-life monster-seeker. Where most such films focus on the creature, Bachochin shows us the heart of the search.
Finding Jay is available starting July 1 from Amazon Prime. Learn more at www.WPIhuntsthetruth.com and at https://www.facebook.com/FindingJayDocumentary/
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