BRATTLEBORO — Free local screenings of the “The Anonymous People,” a feature film by producer and director Greg Williams, will be held at the Rockingham Free Public Library on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m., and at the Latchis Theatre in Brattleboro on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m.
The film explores the lives of some of the more than 23 million Americans living in long-term recovery and asks whether the culture of anonymity at the heart of popular 12-step programs has unintentionally perpetuated misconceptions about people with addiction.
The film also examines the emerging public recovery movement and includes the stories of several prominent Americans who have gone public about their long-term recovery.
They include award-winning actress Kristen Johnston; former NBA star Chris Herren; Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner; former U.S. congressman Patrick Kennedy; veteran news anchor Laurie Dhue; and Tom Coderre, chief of staff to the president of the Rhode Island Senate.
“The Anonymous People” also questions why the United States has chosen to approach addiction - a chronic health problem - through the criminal justice system, at an annual cost of $350 billion.
The screenings are organized by Turning Point Recovery Center in collaboration with Greater Falls Connections in Bellows Falls, and by the Brattleboro Retreat in Brattleboro in cooperation with Vermont Recovery Network and the Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery.
Early this year the Brattleboro Retreat launched “Stand Up to Stigma,” a campaign encouraging people to challenge the myths surrounding addiction and recovery. “The Anonymous People” screening invites the public to learn how to stand up for individuals in long-term recovery.
“This film is not your tired old addiction story often seen on reality television or in the news,” said Williams. “We set out to find the answer to one very fundamental question: Why don't we treat addiction in this country like any other health issue?”