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Vt. drug-abuse film goes national
By Kevin O'Connor
anuary 30,2014
Vermont filmmaker Bess O'Brien figured she was finished with her drug-abuse documentary “The Hungry Heart” after its Green Mountain premiere last fall. Then Gov. Peter Shumlin touted the movie in this month's State of the State address, catapulting it into the national spotlight — and a likely Washington, D.C., screening.
“The governor's speech put everything in fifth gear,” O'Brien says. “We've gotten press that is generating a lot more bookings, DVD sales and interest from people outside the state.”
Consider a recent New York Times story. And a front-page Sunday Boston Globe splash. And a report from ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer on “a cry for help from Vermont, of all places.” And a National Public Radio “On Point” hour-long feature on the film. And, reaching across the globe, coverage from the Norwegian press.
“Who knew Norway also has a huge opiate problem?” O'Brien says.
The Northeast Kingdom filmmaker spent two years creating a documentary about retired St. Albans pediatrician Fred Holmes and a dozen of his 150 teenage and 20-something patients wrestling with addiction to prescription painkillers with such brand names as Vicodin and OxyContin.
The movie's message: Such people aren't “bad” but instead are simply hungry to erase the pain of instability, insecurity, loss and loneliness at home, school or work.
A Shumlin staff member told O'Brien he'd be mentioning “The Hungry Heart” in his speech three weeks ago. But she didn't expect to receive a standing ovation from the Vermont House and Senate (“that was overwhelming”) or so many resulting phone calls.
continued http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20140130/NEWS03/701309924/0/BUSINESS
By Kevin O'Connor
anuary 30,2014
Vermont filmmaker Bess O'Brien figured she was finished with her drug-abuse documentary “The Hungry Heart” after its Green Mountain premiere last fall. Then Gov. Peter Shumlin touted the movie in this month's State of the State address, catapulting it into the national spotlight — and a likely Washington, D.C., screening.
“The governor's speech put everything in fifth gear,” O'Brien says. “We've gotten press that is generating a lot more bookings, DVD sales and interest from people outside the state.”
Consider a recent New York Times story. And a front-page Sunday Boston Globe splash. And a report from ABC World News anchor Diane Sawyer on “a cry for help from Vermont, of all places.” And a National Public Radio “On Point” hour-long feature on the film. And, reaching across the globe, coverage from the Norwegian press.
“Who knew Norway also has a huge opiate problem?” O'Brien says.
The Northeast Kingdom filmmaker spent two years creating a documentary about retired St. Albans pediatrician Fred Holmes and a dozen of his 150 teenage and 20-something patients wrestling with addiction to prescription painkillers with such brand names as Vicodin and OxyContin.
The movie's message: Such people aren't “bad” but instead are simply hungry to erase the pain of instability, insecurity, loss and loneliness at home, school or work.
A Shumlin staff member told O'Brien he'd be mentioning “The Hungry Heart” in his speech three weeks ago. But she didn't expect to receive a standing ovation from the Vermont House and Senate (“that was overwhelming”) or so many resulting phone calls.
continued http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20140130/NEWS03/701309924/0/BUSINESS
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