In light of Markian's hospitalization becoming public, the producers on Hunting Matthew Nichols would like to issue the following statement:
First and foremost, we want to thank Markian Tarasiuk and Ryan McDonald for their bravery and openness in their beginnings to sharing the harrowing experiences while creating the film “Hunting Matthew Nichols.” The process of investigating and sharing Tara Nichols’ family story has been a surreal and life-changing experience for many of us involved in this project.
Secondly, we would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude for all the messages of support and well-wishes from family members, friends, and others who care about Markian. The outpouring of support has been incredibly moving, and we thank you for your concern for Markian's well being. We are glad he has made a complete and full recovery.
Thirdly, we, the producers, must clarify that the injuries Markian sustained did not arise as part of our formal filming process. As the footage in the film will eventually demonstrate, the circumstances surrounding Markian's injuries are difficult to fully explain. These injuries occurred during a portion of filming that Tara wished to conduct on her own, without the supervision of the producers or our safety teams. Despite strong recommendations from Markian, Ryan, and the HMN producing team against filming in a location on the north end of Vancouver Island without production support, Tara decided to proceed.
Professionalism, attention to detail, respect, and adherence to safety protocols have always been paramount to us as producers in our efforts to share Tara Nichols' and her brother Matthew Nichols' story. We could not be more proud of the hard work, determination, and perseverance demonstrated by our crew, interviewees, and other filmmakers who have been part of the challenging journey of creating “Hunting Matthew Nichols.” To our team members, we extend our heartfelt thanks for your continued support during this extraordinary process.
Although Markian’s injury is part of an ongoing investigation, which prevents us from revealing all the details, we have decided to begin sharing what information we can. Over the coming months, we will continue to provide updates on the Matthew Nichols case and our journey to share this unbelievable documentary with audiences. We apologize for the delay of a statement, but we are confident the reasoning behind our timeline will eventually come to light. Despite best efforts of certain parties involved, we are determined to release the film this fall.
Thank you for your support. We look forward to sharing Tara and Markian’s film with you all.