City of Boston Announces Recovery Month Documentary Film Series

 In celebration of National Recovery Month during the month of September, the City of Boston today announced the Recovery Month Documentary Film Series. Three documentary feature films will be screened at the Boston Public Library’s Central Library in Copley Square throughout the month of September. Each film will be paired with a post-screening panel discussion composed of local and national experts. This film series is sponsored by RIZE Massachusetts Foundation and was organized by the City of Boston’s Office of Arts and Culture, Office of Recovery Services, Boston Public Library, and Brendan Little Strategies LLC. 

All films will screen in the Central Library’s Rabb Hall and will be free and open to the public. The films in this series explore the complexities of substance use in North America, at personal and community levels and how they deeply impact and shape our society. The Recovery Month Documentary Film Series explores urgently relevant topics, such as supervised injection sites, racial disparities in the war on drugs, and deceptive opioid marketing and overprescribing.  

“Film is a powerful and accessible way to kick off National Recovery Month and educate Bostonians on the nuance and strength it takes to overcome substance use disorder,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m thankful to the RIZE Massachusetts Foundation, Brendan Little Strategies, BPHC, BPL and our City offices for their partnership in delivering this valuable series to our communities.”

Panelists for the post-screening discussions include filmmakers, local elected and appointed officials, frontline substance use disorder professionals, and people with lived experience with substance use and recovery. All panel discussions will be moderated by Brendan Little, a consultant, writer, and documentary filmmaker. Little formerly served as the founding Policy Director for the City of Boston’s Office of Recovery Services and is a person with lived experience with substance use disorder and homelessness. 

“I am honored to help organize this extraordinary film series and moderate discussions with experts in substance use and recovery,” said Brendan Little. “Documentary film is an incredible tool in opening minds and shining light on misconceptions. I hope this film series will promote empathy and allow people to challenge their preconceived notions of substance use disorder.”

The films, dates, location, and panelists in the film series are:

Love in the Time of Fentanyl (Directed by Colin Askey) 

Wednesday, September 13th at 5pm

Rabb Hall, Boston Public Library 

700 Boylston Street

Panel Discussion Moderated by Brendan Little with: 

•  Colin Askey - Director/Editor/Producer, Love In The Time of Fentanyl

•  Jim Duffy - Co-Founder & Director, Smoke Works

•  Tehya Johnson - Nurse Practitioner, Boston Health Care for The Homeless Program

•  Dr. Bisola Ojikutu - Executive Director, Boston Public Health Commission

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy (Directed by Stanley Nelson Jr.)

Wednesday, September 20th at 5pm

Rabb Hall, Boston Public Library 

700 Boylston Street

Panel Discussion Moderated by Brendan Little with:

•  Tania Fernandes Anderson - Boston City Councilor, District 7

•  Byron Rushing - Former MA State Representative

•  Ruth Rollins - Founder, We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project

•  Berto Sanchez - Director of Policy and Equity, Bureau of Recovery Services, Boston Public Health Commission

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (Directed by Laura Poitras)

Saturday, September 30th at 1:00pm

Rabb Hall, Boston Public Library 

700 Boylston Street

Panel Discussion Moderated by Brendan Little with:

•  Mario Chaparro - Program Director of Caspar Men’s Residence, Bay Cove 

•  Tania Del Rio - Senior Advisor, Coordinated Response Team, City of Boston

•  Joanne Peterson - Founder and Executive Director, Learn to Cope, Inc.

•  Mike S. Quinn - Partner, Eisenberg & Baum, LLP, New York; founding member of Nan Goldin’s P.A.I.N. (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now)

All films in this series are widely acclaimed and have won numerous awards at film festivals around the world. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2022. 

RIZE Massachusetts Foundation, a public-private partnership solely dedicated to funding solutions to end the overdose crisis, is the lead sponsor for this film series.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the Recovery Month Documentary Film Series in collaboration with the City of Boston, Boston Public Library, and Brendan Little to recognize National Recovery Month and raise awareness about the overdose crisis,” said Julie Burns, President and CEO of RIZE Massachusetts Foundation. “We hope this film series will educate the public about substance use disorder and recovery while inspiring discussion and breaking down the stigma associated with addiction.”

For several years, the City of Boston’s Office of Recovery Services, Office Arts and Culture, and Boston Public Library have collaborated to promote innovative programming celebrating National Recovery Month. Past years have included citywide read programming and author events. The Recovery Month Documentary Film Series is the first of its kind in Boston.

“Substance use disorder is not simple. There’s no single story that captures the many sources or answers, or the individual journeys at the center,” said Jen Tracey, Director of the Office of Recovery Services for the Boston Public Health Commission. “Ongoing education is vital, and the Recovery Month film series demonstrates what we can achieve when public and private sectors unite over a shared cause.”

“This film series will highlight the pivotal role that filmmaking can play in understanding substance use and recovery,” said Kara Elliott-Ortega, Chief of Arts & Culture. “The opportunity to view these films in community with others and to engage in dialogue through the panels is a wonderful example of how the arts expand our ability to understand and engage with issues facing our communities.”

“Promoting public dialogue about critical issues impacting our patrons is at the core of the BPL’s mission,” said BPL President David Leonard. “Hosting this film festival is an important step in combating addiction stigma and surfacing important conversations about substance use disorder. We are grateful for the work of the Office of Recovery Services and Office of Arts and Culture and are committed to continuing our partnership with all the agencies working across the city of Boston to address this crisis.”