Wellington filmmaker Costa Botes (Forgotten Silver) tells the story of David Klein who in 1976 invented the Jelly Belly, now a billion-dollar enterprise from which he earns barely anything. “Sweet and surprising.” — Hot Docs
This story of a man who lost a fortune, but never lost his soul is hilarious, instructive, and ultimately inspiring.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2010
Candyman 2010
Wellington filmmaker Costa Botes, co-director of Forgotten Silver, turns his attention to a real-life unsung pioneer in this portrait of the Los Angeles man who, in 1976, invented a Reagan-era sensation: the smaller, tastier jelly bean. Showing time-honoured Kiwi disdain for pushiness, Botes heaps kudos on this sweet American dreamer for missing the bus from small business to big. — BG.
“David Klein still believes you only need to be a genius for 15 minutes in order to be successful. This eccentric candy inventor’s once-in-a-lifetime epiphany came in 1976… The gourmet candy with realistic flavours revolutionized the industry and became a pop culture phenomenon. Jelly Belly has grown into a billion-dollar enterprise, but David’s unusual business decisions and shocking displays of altruism have left him deliberately erased from the company’s history with just a fraction of his potential earnings. Sweet and surprising, Candyman is a cautionary tale about a man who had to choose between a big idea and a bigger heart.” — Sarafina DiFelice, Hot Docs