White Lake Productions and Bright Sun Films are thrilled to announce director Joshua Bailey’s documentary feature debut STOLEN KINGDOM as the opening night film on Friday, April 11, 2025 at the Florida Film Festival in Orlando. The highly anticipated East Coast and hometown Premiere for Bailey, follows the film’s world premiere at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in February and last week’s Los Angeles premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival, where the film was received with sold-out crowds and rave reviews.
Produced by White Lake Productions and Bright Sun Films and written by Bailey and Matthew Serrano (Defunctland), the film delves into the history of mischief, scandal and theft at Walt Disney World, ultimately leading to the theft of an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars. It features key figures from the park’s underground community, each sharing their unique stories. As the narrative unfolds, early pranks and antics are shown to have inspired more recent crimes, culminating in a true crime mystery. What begins as a tale of friendship and passion ends with one lingering question: Who stole Buzzy?
Joshua Bailey is a Tampa, Florida-born filmmaker whose lifelong passion for cinema led him to pursue a career in the industry. After attending Orlando’s Valencia College for a short time and working at local theme parks, he decided to leave and carve his own path in filmmaking. STOLEN KINGDOM is his debut feature-length film.
“Stolen Kingdom is as fascinating as it is entertaining,” said Los Angeles-based critic and journalist Simon Thompson. “If you went to Walt Disney World in the late 80s through the early 2000s, you must watch this. Part social history, part pop culture history, but pretty much all cautionary tale. Skilfully made with a well-crafted narrative, Stolen Kingdom answers questions you were afraid to ask and takes you places you probably dreamt of going – but didn’t want to suffer the consequences. Pure renegade Disneyana that deserves to be a seminal piece of the Disney subculture. A Wild Ride Mr. Toad would be proud of.”
STOLEN KINGDOM debuts at the Enzian Theater Friday, April 11, 2025 at the Florida Film Festival in Orlando.
