pdx recovery film festival & resource fair

Directed by Luciana Faulhaber, “Displaced” takes viewers to Columbia, Missouri, where Ray, a homeless veteran, struggles under a new state law that criminalizes homelessness. The film starts with a poignant scene of Ray being displaced during a sweep, an action now legitimized by state legislation. As Ray scrambles to salvage his belongings, the documentary underscores the harsh measures of this law, showing sanitation workers and law enforcement in action.

Directed by Keli’i Grace, “Appa” is set on the North Shore of O’ahu and based on the true story of a Korean-American farming family tormented by loss and addiction.

Directed by Tyler Brklacich, “Mental Health in Rural America” explores the impact of horses on mental health in rural America.

Rural America faces a significant mental health crisis, characterized by higher rates of mental illness and suicide compared to urban areas, alongside limited access to proper treatment.

While the idyllic imagery of rural life persists, the reality for many residents paints a different picture. Yet amidst these challenges, hope emerges through partnerships with horses.

Directed by Marc Havener, “The Beauty Within” follows the stories of five at-risk youth who reveal the beauty that arose from their darkness and the people that altered their trajectory.

Directed by Souki Mehdaoui, the stories of Dr. Lesley Brooks and Corinthiah depicted in “A Safe Place to Land” offer an uplifting view of the life-saving, beautiful parts of the recovery journey, while acknowledging the impact and influence that trauma has on a person’s experience with addiction.

Their stories highlight the importance of loving and supporting those struggling with substance use disorder, understanding how one’s life experiences play a part in a person’s recovery journey, and celebrating incredible stories of hope and progress.

Directed by Eva Tenuto and Natalia Iyudin, the docu-short “One Story at a Time” takes you along as Celeste Lecesne candidly shares how he not only escaped the confines of homophobia but combatted it by finding the courage to share his truth with the world.

In a seemingly fateful chain of events, an off-broadway solo-show becomes an Academy Award-winning film that ultimately inspires The Trevor Project, the largest suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Now, 25 years later, countless lives have been saved, and Celeste stays the course, inspiring the next generation to have the bravery to claim their truth and continue to change the world, one story at a time.

Directed by Weronika Trzpis, “I’m Fine” is a very personal story about dealing with depression, anxiety and the never ending healing journey. It is about every day fights to keep oneself above water, to reach stability.

Nowadays a lot of individuals struggle with mental health issues and I find it crucial to talk about this matter to fight stigma around the subject. To make people feel less alone with their battles. Through series of visual metaphores I aim to explain depression and anxiety symptoms to people who never experienced such issues.

Directed by Owen Livengood, “Rock Bottom” showcases life after ending up in the emergency room again, when a 22-year-old must re-evaluate his life goals while forging a path to sobriety in the midst of a mental breakdown.

Directed by Lesly Mendez and Ger Skinder, “The Pier Poet” is a lyrical short documentary that captures the connection between art and healing. Following Henry Bernard, a poet who embraces the ocean alongside the pier and creates poems for strangers with his typewriter. The film seeks to explore and represent our human desire to be seen and understood.

Directed by Madoc Christopher Sessions Riseley, “Bipolar Moment” is an animated documentary about an art student who loses his mind and has to find it.

A thought-provoking documentary directed by Ricky Taitt, “Hope 4 Home” explores the different perspectives and experiences related to homelessness in San Diego. The pandemic of homelessness in San Diego demands immediate attention as the numbers of people on the streets increase and the rent rates in the city get even higher.

By engaging with various individuals on the streets, such as business owners, civil servants, and the homeless themselves, we can gain valuable insights into their challenges, hopes, and potential solutions for the city of San Diego.