Movie On Maplewood’s ‘Pickle Man’ Debuts At Montclair Film Fest

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — When Essex County resident Arthur Cohen neared the end of his life, he’d fight his ALS symptoms and use every ounce of energy he had left to spell out two, simple words by blinking out code: “Be Kind.”

And according to his daughter, Tess Cohen, if you want to understand her late father’s unique legacy as the neighborhood “Pickle Man,” that philosophy is a good place to start.

The inimitable footprint left by Cohen, a former Maplewood resident, is captured in a documentary, “Pickle Man,” which will screen as part of the 2019 Montclair Film Festival on Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 at the Clairidge Cinema. (Learn more and buy tickets here)

Despite the fast pace of director Nastasya Popov’s retrospective – it clocks in at a mere 16 minutes – the film doesn’t skimp on emotional content or story arcs.

According to the film’s website:

“When Arthur, a New York-based photographer, was diagnosed with ALS in 2014, he decided to turn a pickling hobby into his legacy—PickALS. Though he was losing the ability to walk and talk, Arthur ran the non-profit Pickals, which sold his crispy, crunchy, garlicky pickles to raise money for ALS research. A story of the human will, Arthur turned the morbid into the extraordinary (and often hilarious), raising over a quarter of a million dollars to help fight the disease. All the while, he showed those around him, namely his youngest daughter, Tess, what a life well-lived looked like.”

The development of the documentary took place by accident, according to the filmmakers:

“As a caregiver for her father at a young age, Tess Cohen, who also produces the documentary, began capturing her father’s journey with the disease on camera and started to string together his story. Her portrayal captures the struggles of living with and caring for someone with ALS, but also highlights the brave way her father chose to handle his diagnosis.”

Tess Cohen – who will appear for Q&A sessions as part of the Montclair Film Festival screenings – told Patch that when you have a disease where you can't control the outcome, it may be comforting to make the most of the things you do have control over.

“For my dad, being as kind and compassionate as possible to others helped both him and everyone involved in his care,” Cohen said.

It doesn’t hurt to have a good sense of humor, either.

“My dad arguably liked puns as much as he did pickles,” she said. “I think that playful spirit is as much a part of the organization as the food itself.”

Cohen said that through her father enjoyed eating pickles – and grew them in their backyard garden for many years – she wouldn't necessarily say they were his favorite food.

“I think he essentially felt pickles were a fun food that brought people joy, and quickly discovered that they had a VERY loyal fan base,” she said. “We heard from people all over the country who identified as dill pickle fanatics, so it was easy to find our audience.”

Cohen said that she hopes the film will help teens and young adults impacted by a loved with ALS know that they aren’t alone. She recommended that people check out an initiative she partners with called “Also Us,” which inspires young people affected by the disease to use the power of art to express their experiences.

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