HEROIN(E)
Part of making a documentary is study. Lots and lots of study. Research, perspectives, choices, dreams, goals, budget, the list goes on.
When we made One Last Summit we called it documentary film school. Every night Antony and I would separately watch documentaries online and discuss them. Having never actually made one before we thought best to analyze them looking at camera techniques, lighting choices, figuring out the questions asked to get the responses they got and paying special attention to how a vast amount of perspectives and interviews threaded together to tell a single cohesive story with depth and nuance.
That choice hasn’t changed. We still watch a lot of stuff.
Last night I watched Academy Award Nominee, Heroin(e) on Netflix and I gotta tell ya, I wish I’d waited a little longer for that one. It got real and it got real fast. Under the direction of Elaine MdMillion Sheldon and shot by Curren Sheldon this story goes true and stays true.
Warning: if you have been affected recently by the loss of someone to an overdose and especially if this is the first time that devastation has hit you there are a few scenes in this documentary that may be too much to handle at this point.
Frankly speaking I wish I had waited a few more months.
That said, there are also beautiful moments of love and hope in this short film. The people working in this community in West Virginia seem to do their jobs out of a place of calling rather than obligation. Their focus on what’s true and good surpass any judgement or condemnation that would easily be felt.
Jan Rader’s steadiness and wherewithal is exhibited with such power and calm that I’d probably follow her just about anywhere.
From the judge to the ministry representative to the people in recovery doing what they can to stay clean AND help others do the same is a motley crew of beauty.
This sort of film is exactly what I find in Second Chance Sober Living.
As Brian, the founder of Second Chance says, “We’re the sick ward... we’re family.”
In the short time I’ve been involved I’ve seen people society would rather not give a second look at become active and production members of that very society.
All in, I am grateful for the documentary and the hard parts were worth the tears. It opened my eyes to yet another aspect of how devastating addiction can be but also reinforced my trust that there are people willing to help and people willing to be helped.
Heroin(e) is available on Netflix.
