Plot

A documentary that observes the year after Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's arrest on child sex-abuse charges.

The town of State College, Pennsylvania the home of Penn State University, has long been known as Happy Valley, and its iconic figure for more than 40 years was Joe Paterno, the head coach of the school's storied football team. His program was lauded not only for its success on the field but also its students' achievements in the classroom, and Paterno took on mythic national stature as "Saint Joe." But in November 2011, everything came crashing down: longtime Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with 40 counts of child sex-abuse, setting off a firestorm of accusations about who failed to protect the children of Happy Valley. Was Sandusky's abuse an "open secret" in the town? Did Coach Paterno and the Penn State administration value their football program more than the lives of Sandusky's victims? Filmed over the course of the year after Sandusky's arrest as key players in the scandal agreed to share their stories, "Happy Valley" deconstructs the story we think we know to uncover a much more complicated and tragic tale.—Sundance Film Festival

The town of State College, the home of Penn State University, lies at the heart of an area long known as Happy Valley. Its iconic figure for more than 40 years was Joe Paterno, the head coach of the school's storied football team, who took on mythic national stature as "Saint Joe." But then, in November 2011, everything came crashing down when former Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with 40 counts of child sex-abuse. Filmed over the course of the year after Sandusky's arrest, "Happy Valley" chronicles the ensuing firestorm of accusations about who failed to protect Happy Valley's children. Director Amir Bar-Lev creates a parable of guilt, responsibility, and identity for a small town caught in the glare of the national spotlight.—Anonymous