The events of January 6, 2021 live in unfortunate infamy. “Homegrown,” a film by Michael Premo, gives an unflinching, direct view on some of the participants, their passion for their version of America, their passion for President Donald Trump, and how violence is incredibly normalized in American politics. A reality where political differences end in death and destruction, rather than mutual understanding.
Meeting the Proud Boys
“Homegrown” is a breathtaking watch that follows three conservative men (or activists, as they call themselves): Chris Quaglin, Thad Cisneros, and Randy Ireland. Quaglin, during filming, is married to a Chinese woman and expecting a baby with her. The cognitive dissonance on display with him is wild to witness. He is shown lying to his partner, who is a COVID nurse, several times about the size of the crowds he’s at, knowing she’s scared of dying from the disease. There’s even a moment where, when he shares this information with a fellow Jan. 6 insurrectionist, the man replies emphatically that COVID-19 is a hoax.
Cisneros’ journey is one of the most intriguing ones. As a Latino and a Proud Boy of color, he is an intriguing example of how conservatism in brown and Black people can contort itself in a myriad of ways to fit in with a culture that was not made with them in mind. He works with Black Lives Matters activist, Jacarri Kelley, and pushes back on the idea that Trumpism is synonymous with racism and hatred. Eventually by the end of the documentary, he gets disavowed from the organization for reaching across the aisle.
While the other two have more focused journeys, Ireland kind of gets lost in the shuffle a bit. His story simply isn’t as compelling as the other men, although his emphatic ANTIFA hatred is pretty memorable.
Fury and fearmongering through Jan. 6
The real meat of the story starts with the election being officially called for former President Joe Biden and how Trump supporters fully crashed out in the aftermath. (As someone who spent that November Saturday blaring “FDT” by YG and Nipsey Hussle, it was fascinating watching the other side react to the same news.) Terrifying delusion was on display from angry, seditious text messages to the public fervor of the “Million MAGA March.”
These self-proclaimed “Patriots” basically rejected what reality has presented to them and responded with escalating dissent, violence, and destruction. Which is ironic, considering why some of them, like Quaglin, got into the Proud Boys to begin with. Incensed by visuals of “BLM” and “ANTIFA” burning cities in protest of George Floyd’s death, these Trumpers essentially devolved into the thing they claim to hate.
It’s astounding to see these folks willingly and freely commit crimes with numerous cameras on them. It points to, yes, stupidity, but also a complete collapse of community and sense of self, where humanity fell away and only mob justice mattered. Quaglin’s manic energy on the day of the insurrection was deeply disturbing to watch. Repeatedly going over to random people that showed up on Jan. 6 that he was going to storm the U.S. Capitol. And storm it, he did.
Premo’s and producer Rachel Falcone’s footage of the riot itself is a high-anxiety sensory overload. It’s brutal, it’s horrifying, it’s breathtaking, it’s chaotic, and above all, impressive. Not the insurrection itself, but how Premo and Falcone manage to get any usable footable at all, while getting shoved up against walls and pepper sprayed by the police. One particularly impressive bit of editing was pairing of the raw footage they took with the body cam footage from the police. It really drove home the reality of this surreal event.
“I’m here, I mean, I lost everything…”
We’re all aware of the spectacular fallout of Jan. 6, with multiple deaths, convictions, and the dismantling of that version of the Trump administration. But what “Homegrown” uniquely provides is a look at one perpetrator’s (Quaglin) journey throughout, leading up to the riot, his participation in it and the aftermath of his decisions, complete with a follow-up after Trump’s pardons for the insurrectionists.
Premo choosing to end the film on Quaglin’s quivering existential crisis was a bold and perfect choice. He’s lost his wife and access to his newborn, presumably his job and the ability to get employment easily. It’s a haunting peek into a man who finally realized there are consequences to his actions, despite what the President says and does.
Final thoughts
“Homegrown” is truly phenomenal; a viewing experience that grips you from start to finish. You’ll watch with some sick fascination at the types of people who hate anything that doesn’t conform to their vision of America. As we approach the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection, this documentary feels almost like required viewing, not because fascist rioters deserve to be heard, but because it’s a warning to prevent history from repeating itself.
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WATCH: Michael Premo on Homegrown, Political Extremism & Filming America’s Divide
Directed by Michael Premo, “HOMEGROWN” brings raw intimacy and unprecedented access to a political moment still unfolding. Shot across battleground communities and key flashpoints of national tension, the documentary reveals the lived experiences of people whose determination to turn their beliefs into action places them on the front lines of America’s political divide.
The film was an official selection of the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where it won Best Technical Contribution. “HOMEGROWN” has since garnered top honors on the global festival circuit, and was nominated for the 2025 Cinema Eye Honors Spotlight Award, recognizing exceptional independent nonfiction filmmaking. It has screened at nearly fifty top-tier film festivals worldwide. Streaming on Homegrown.film.
Writer and editor