Open Swim Embarks on its First Feature Film Documentary

Open Swim has embarked on its first feature film documentary, “The Aftereffect,” set to release in 2026.

Directed by Bradley J. Ross, Executive Produced by Amyliz Pera, and produced by department heads Kyle Porter and Stefan Wiesen, the film explores the extraordinary and similar experiences people have in the throes of death. Countless individuals report remarkably similar events, and when they return, they're never the same. This hidden frontier provides insight into survival, second chances, the boundaries of human experience and what lies beyond.

Ross, founder of Open Swim, brings extensive experience across a wide variety of projects. He edited and co-produced the Oscar-nominated, Emmy Award-winning documentary “Cartel Land,” an exposé of Mexican vigilante groups and drug cartels. Ross also edited and produced the Emmy Award-winning documentary “Escape Fire.” His scripted work includes Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Kindergarten Teacher,” which won a Sundance Grand Jury Prize.  He also produced “Centigrade,” shot in an ice cream freezer during a New York City heat-wave. His most recent release via Open Swim is “I’ll Be Right There,” starring Edie Falco and a star-studded cast.

“Near Death Experiencers, like the people in our film, expand on our existence as a human species,” says Ross. “ It’s been fascinating spending time with these individuals who all seem to have a sixth sense for what the purpose of all of this is. The information is so compelling that it was very hard finding a skeptic. But we did.” 

“It’s exciting to apply our Open Swim model to this feature documentary, and work together as a collective,” says Pera. “We’re bringing a wildly varied skillset to the process. We’re not beholden to anyone, and we can have fun bending the genre. Bradley has a remarkable ability to synthesize ideas, welcoming the team’s input so that a wide range of perspectives can influence the evolving vision of the film.”

Credits:

Director/Editor: Bradley J. Ross

Executive Producer: Amyliz Pera

Producer & Line Producer: Kyle Porter

Producer & Cinematographer: Stefan Wiesen

Casting Producer: Kathryn Lotis Fisher

Co-Producer: Nate Bloom

Photographer: Karen Haberberg