What Is the ‘Black Start’ Documentary by Patrea Patrick? Why Is It Trending?

Published 01/10/2026, 9:08 AM EST

Black Start, a documentary film, explores the legitimate dangers of a long-term electrical grid failure caused by natural events or human interference. The 2017 film by Director Patrea Patrick is trending in 2026, but why all of a sudden? Are viewers watching a decade-old documentary instead of a classified intelligence leak?

While some viewers claim a long-lost government briefing has finally surfaced, the truth behind this the movie trending reveals a much more public origin.

What is making Black Start so popular in 2026?

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The unexpected resurgence of the 2017 film Black Start has triggered a wave of misinformation regarding the professional history of Erika Kirk. The documentary film is currently trending because of a specific X post by Destiny Rezendes. The user shared a clip of Erika Kirk briefing professionals on grid vulnerability on January 8, 2026. Many viewers mistakenly believed this was a leaked or buried CIA video showing her as a government operative.

“Erika Kirk found in a decade-old documentary about EMP attacks,” Destiny Rezendes wrote in the X post. This misunderstanding stems from her presence alongside high-profile figures like Jeanine Pirro and James Woolsey in the archival footage.

In reality, the footage is not a classified intelligence briefing but a segment from the publicly available documentary by filmmaker Patrea Patrick. The filmmaker has even hosted these clips on her own social media channels for years without any secrecy. Erika Kirk appears in the film as a subject matter expert discussing EMP attacks, not as a clandestine agent.

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These digital footprints bridge the gap between historical documentary footage and the modern-day rumors.

Fact-Checking Erika Kirk’s pages of rumors

Rumors suggested that Erika Kirk was under federal investigation for financial fraud at Turning Point USA following her husband's passing. According to CBS News, the Treasury Department explicitly clarified in a formal letter that the organization is not under IRS examination. All financial filings for the non-profit entities she manages were submitted on time and remain in good standing.

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Internet memes also falsely alleged that she was linked to JD Vance romantically. However, these claims are entirely baseless and are seemingly part of a broader trend of online targeting her leadership. According to Fox News, Erika Kirk has publicly characterized these relentless false narratives as a mind virus, and terms like Meghan Markle Syndrome are designed to exploit her family's grief.

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What do you think about the new rumour about Erika Kirk and the movie clip of Black Start getting viral? Let us know in the comments below.

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Soma Mitra

774 articles

Soma is a journalist at Netflix Junkie. With a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication, she brings production experience from documentary films like Chandua: Stories on Fabric. Covering the true crime and docu-drama beat, she turns psychological thrillers into sharp, audience-aware storytelling.

Edited By: Hriddhi Maitra

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