Caterpillar

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Caterpillar

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1h 51m

Documentary

LGBTQ+

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9 Reviews

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Endlessly struggling to feel seen, David becomes infatuated with a mysterious company's promise to transform people's lives by permanently changing the color of their eyes. After traveling to India to get the controversial procedure, he begins to question if this artificial beauty will give him the fulfillment he truly seeks.

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Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

Some of what Mandelup captures is the result of sharp observation, and some of it is incredible chance.

Nov 6, 2025

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Joe Gross

Austin Chronicle

A smart, sympathetic character study with an expected style, Caterpillar examines the increasingly complicated nexus of self-esteem, marketing, body modification and technology.

Mar 20, 2023

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Jude Dry

IndieWire

Caterpillar holds a cunning mirror up to technology’s effect on everyday life, where we are bombarded with images of ourselves whether we like it or not.

Rated: B

Mar 13, 2023

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Christopher Campbell

Nonfics (Substack)

Mandelup got lucky with the circular way this true story goes, even if it ends sort of predictably. As is her approach, Caterpillar often plays like a fiction film, but not in a way that ever feels manipulated.

Nov 7, 2025

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Jim Vorel

Paste Magazine

Caterpillar is a stunning piece of documentary work, both for its incredible degree of access to both its central character and his journey, and its unconventional style of presentation, which skirts the boundaries of documentary and narrative feature.

Rated: 8.6/10

Nov 6, 2025

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John Fink

The Film Stage

Rather than framing the film as a cautionary medical tale, it remains a grounded, sympathetic portrait of David and his quest for beauty.

Rated: B

Mar 23, 2023

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Liza Mandelup

Director

David Taylor

Self

Jay Van Hoy

Producer

Matthew Cherchio

Producer

Liza Mandelup

Producer

Michael Cho

Executive Producer

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Caterpillar: Trailer 1

1:45

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Synopsis

Endlessly struggling to feel seen, David becomes infatuated with a mysterious company's promise to transform people's lives by permanently changing the color of their eyes. After traveling to India to get the controversial procedure, he begins to question if this artificial beauty will give him the fulfillment he truly seeks.

Director: Liza Mandelup
Producer: Jay Van Hoy, Matthew Cherchio, Liza Mandelup
Distributor: Good Deed Entertainment
Production Co: Topic Studios, Olive Hill Media
Genre: Documentary, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 7, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 51m