Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County, Inc. is sponsoring a one night only screening of a new documentary film on prescription drug addiction and recovery in Vermont.  The Hungry Heart will be shown on Monday, March 21st from 5pm-7pm at Cinemapolis.  Director, Bess O'Brien will take questions after the screening. Come and be part of an important conversation about this important issue.

The Hungry Heart was honored by Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin during his January State of the State in which he devoted his entire speech to the opiate epidemic in Vermont. Since the Governor's ambitious initiative to deal with the rising prescription drug and heroin addiction in Vermont, The Hungry Heart  has been featured on many national press and media outlets including the ABC Evening News, The New York Times, Al Jazeera television, The Boston Globe, NPR's On Point, WBUR's Radio Boston and MSNBC.

The Hungry Heart is the 2015 winner of the outstanding media award from the American Academy of Addiction Medicine.

The film has toured across New England to more than 100 towns and was presented in Washington, DC by Senator Patrick Leahy and Michael Botticelli the Acting Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The Hungry Heart produced by Kingdom County Productions provides an intimate look at the often hidden world of prescription drug addiction through the work of Vermont Pediatrician Fred Holmes whose patients struggle with this disease.

Holmes works closely with his patients to provide them with therapy and out-patient programs.  In addition, Holmes is part of the Suboxone treatment program. Much like Methadone, Suboxone helps many addicts in their recovery process-- for some taking Suboxone is a crucial stepping stone to long term recovery, for others Suboxone is abused and diverted onto the street. Through the film we see Dr. Holmes struggling with these challenges and trying to make sense and keep the faith in the midst of many contradictions.

But the film is not ultimately about Suboxone or the medical treatment these young people receive from Holmes. It is about the simple but profound connection that Holmes creates with each patient and how important listening and respect is for these young addicts as part of their recovery process. The film shines a light on the healing power of conversation and the need for connection that many of these young addicts yearn for but do not have in their lives.

In addition, the film interviews a number of older addicts and family members who share their stories of struggle and redemption. The road to recovery is paved with both success stories and strewn with relapses, downfalls and tragic losses. However, through the movie we see the many faces and diverse populations of addiction, and their continued search for a life of recovery.

Best-selling author David Sheff, who wrote the book Beautiful Boy about his own son's addiction, called The Hungry Heart "A brilliant and beautiful film that captures the true lives of people in recovery." MSNBC called the film "deeply moving."

Education & Prevention Director at the Council, Stacy Cangelosi, LMSW says, "We are very excited to be bringing Bess and The Hungry Heart to Ithaca.  We feel this will be an important addition to the current community discussion around this topic." The Hungry Heart opens up dialogue around many issues connected to addiction and recovery and serves as a jumping off point for discussion and action steps that many of our communities need.

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