CATERPILLAR Documentary Film

A Powerful Documentary Film on The Way We See

Endlessly struggling to feel seen, David Taylor 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.

“Mandelup’s filmmaking promises a layered approach that explores both the personal desire for physical beauty and the murky nature of the cosmetics industry in a single, beguiling cinematic package.”
– Eric Kohn, IndieWire

“Mandelup wants us to open our eyes.”
– Kyle Turner, The Playlist

“The director of “Jawline” delivers a jaw-dropping portrait of a man looking to improve his life in all the wrong places.”
– Stephen Saito, The Moveable Fest

Film critics fell in love with the film at SXSW and it has a 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Film Stage’s John Fink wrote: “It is a fascinating character study that at any time can devolve into a dark comedy, a medical horror film, or, ultimately a moving tale about the impossible quest for beauty and perfection.”

Caterpillar is directed by Liza Mandelup; produced by Jay Van Hoy, Matthew Cherchio, Liza Mandelup; executive producers Michael Cho, Mimi Rode, Tim Lee, Maria Zuckerman, Christine Connor, Ryan Heller, Michael Bloom, Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett; cinematographer: Benjamin Whatley, editor Alex O’Flinn; and music by Palmbomen II. Runtime: 111 mins.

GDE, distributor of the Oscar and Golden Globes-nominated animated feature film Loving Vincent, is a Ohio based independent studio dedicated to producing, financing and distributing quality entertainment for film, television, the worldwide web and tomorrow’s anticipated platforms. Through its genre division, Cranked Up Films, GDE develops, produces, and distributes high concept horror, grounded sci-fi and speculative fiction. GDE’s releases in 2025 include Looking Through Water and Temple Grandin: An Open Door.