This documentary examines the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles, exploring the complex social, economic, and public health factors that have contributed to one of the largest unhoused populations in the United States. Through interviews with experts, outreach workers, policymakers, and people experiencing homelessness, it examines the challenges of housing affordability, mental illness, addiction, and systemic barriers to recovery. The film also explores current approaches to addressing the crisis, highlighting both the progress made and the difficult questions that continue to shape the city's response.
TOPICS: Homelessness, Personal Stories, Poverty, Public Health, Stigma, USA
This documentary explores the hidden community living in the storm drain tunnels beneath Las Vegas, where hundreds of people experiencing homelessness struggle with addiction, poverty, and the daily challenges of surviving off the grid. Guided by a former tunnel resident who now works in outreach, Drew Binsky meets the people who call the tunnels home and hears their stories firsthand. Along the way, the film highlights the work of a local nonprofit helping residents access housing, treatment, and support as they work toward rebuilding their lives.
TOPICS: Homelessness, Non-Profits, Personal Stories, Poverty, Public Health, Stigma, USA
This documentary examines the devastating impact of the opioid crisis on Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where addiction, overdose, and limited treatment resources have placed enormous strain on a small community. Through the experiences of a dedicated harm reduction worker, people living with opioid use disorder, and a family desperately trying to save their son, it explores the realities of addiction while highlighting the importance of compassion, harm reduction, and community support in the face of an ongoing public health crisis.
TOPICS: Canada, Fentanyl, Harm Reduction, Opioid Crisis, Opioid Use Disorder, Opioids, Overdose, Personal Stories, Poverty, Stigma, Youth
This documentary explores Boston's Methadone Mile, an area where addiction treatment services exist alongside homelessness, open drug use, and illicit drug markets. Through interviews with healthcare professionals, people living with addiction, individuals in recovery, and street-level dealers, it examines the challenges of recovery in an environment where support and relapse triggers often coexist. The film also explores the policies and circumstances that contributed to the area's development and the ongoing efforts to address the crisis.
This documentary travels across Canada to examine the country's overdose crisis through the experiences of advocates, families, frontline workers, and people directly affected by substance use. Focusing on harm reduction, it explores the efforts being made to prevent overdose deaths, reduce stigma, and improve access to support and life-saving services. Through personal stories and community initiatives, the film offers a broad look at one of Canada's most urgent and ongoing public health challenges.
In this interview with Soft White Underbelly, legendary gambler Archie Karas reflects on the extraordinary winning streak that saw him turn a $10,000 loan into more than $40 million before losing nearly everything. Looking back on a lifetime of high-stakes gambling, he discusses the mindset that drove his success, the personal cost of his lifestyle, and the lessons he learned after decades spent chasing fortune.
Filmmaker Michelle Wong shares the story of her brother Phillip, whose struggle with gambling addiction had a devastating impact on both his life and those closest to him. Speaking with family members, friends, and professionals, she pieces together the events that shaped his addiction while exploring the emotional toll it left on those closest to him. Through personal reflection and expert insight, the documentary offers a moving examination of gambling disorder, loss, and the lasting effects of addiction on individuals and families.
Joy's story explores the devastating consequences of gambling addiction after she embezzled $700,000 employers to support her gambling. As she awaits sentencing, she reflects on the choices that led to her crimes while trying to help both herself and her children understand the grip of addiction. Alongside her personal story, the documentary features insights from addiction professionals who explain the psychological and neurological factors behind gambling disorder, offering a broader understanding of how behavioural addictions develop and why recovery can be so challenging.
After years of struggling with gambling addiction, Ike Dweck transformed his life and dedicated himself to helping others recover. In this interview, he reflects on the experiences that shaped his addiction, the challenges he faced during recovery, and the purpose he found in supporting those facing similar struggles. As the founder of an outpatient treatment program in Brooklyn, New York, Ike draws on his lived experience to offer insight into gambling addiction, recovery, and the importance of using personal experience to help others rebuild their lives.
Michael Mooney shares his personal journey through gambling addiction, tracing how childhood experiences gradually developed into a hidden and destructive pattern despite his recovery from substance use. The documentary follows the events that ultimately forced him to confront the addiction and begin rebuilding his life. Now working as a certified counsellor, he reflects on the challenges of recovery while offering hope to others facing similar struggles. Through his experiences, the film explores the complexities of behavioural addiction, recovery, and the possibility of lasting change.
