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HBO’s newest documentary film, Surviving Ohio State, sheds light on what the docufilm's trailer description on YouTube states is
"A scandal decades in the making in Buckeye Nation."
Surviving Ohio State tells the shocking and deeply troubling story of Dr. Richard Strauss, a former Ohio State University physician who is accused of sexually abusing hundreds of student-athletes between 1978 and 1998. The documentary film will make its world premiere on 9th June, 2025, at the Tribeca Film Festival. Shortly after, it will be available to stream on Max from 17th June, 2025.
What is Surviving Ohio State about?
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Eva Orner and produced by actor and filmmaker George Clooney, Surviving Ohio State highlights the many reports of misconduct and sexual abuse that were dismissed or ignored at Ohio State University. It questions why there was no sense of responsibility on the part of the University and why survivors were systematically ignored or silenced.
Based on the investigative reporting found in a 2020 Sports Illustrated article, Why Aren’t More People Talking About the Ohio State Sex Abuse Scandal, by Jon Wertheim, the documentary is more than just a retelling of past events. It is a platform for survivors to come out and say their side of what happened.
Through personal interviews, Surviving Ohio State gives voice to former students who were harmed while under the care of Strauss. What Strauss did was a series of unthinkable crimes. As Ilann Maazel says in the trailer,
"177 survivors is a small fraction of the true number. It's in the thousands."
According to a media release by Warner Bros. Discovery,
"The film includes revealing interviews with OSU student-athlete alumni Mark Coleman, Adam DiSabato, Michael DiSabato, Will Knight, Al Novakowski, Rockey Ratliff, Dan Ritchie, and Mike Schyck; OSU alumnus Stephen Snyder-Hill, wrestling referee Frederick Feeney, and others."
Dr. Strauss died by suicide in 2005, never facing trial or criminal charges. Still, decades later, his actions continue to affect the lives of those he harmed. The documentary explores how the university overlooked or covered up repeated warnings and complaints.
It questions how such serious abuse could continue for so long without action. The film also looks at the fight for justice, one filled with legal battles, public testimonies, and calls for accountability. Many survivors have stepped forward in recent years, even speaking before Congress, to demand answers and recognition. Their bravery and determination are the focus of Surviving Ohio State.
Production of the docufilm began in 2023 and uncovered previously unseen information that adds depth and weight to the documentary. The 108-minute docufilm is both a painful reminder and a hopeful call for change.
It challenges viewers to think about how institutions handle abuse and how survivors should be supported instead of silenced. Stephen Snyder-Hill, an alumnus and survivor, says in the trailer, Strauss is not the only one at fault here, highlighting that,
"I'm a survivor of sexual assault, but a victim of OSU."
Surviving Ohio State comes to Max on 17th June 2015.
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