The Anonymous People –a new documentary breaks the invisibility of addiction.

Trailer for The Anonymous People.

A new documentary, The Anonymous People, aims to sensationalize recovery—not addiction. As one of the film’s subjects says, “Recovery is sensational!” The film, which explores the common link among the estimated 23.5 million Americans living in long-term recovery from alcohol and other drug addictions, “is not your tired old addiction story often seen on reality television or in the news,” the film’s producer, Greg Williams, tells The Fix. “There are no needles hanging out of people’s arms, pictures of the brain, or fried eggs in a pan. 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?”

According to the filmmakers, “Deeply entrenched social stigma and mass participation in widely successful anonymous 12-step groups have kept recovery voices silent and faces hidden for decades.” But now, many recovery advocates are beginning to “come out of the shadows to tell their true stories.” The powerful message of The Anonymous People is conveyed through the faces and voices
 of the leaders, volunteers, corporate executives and celebrities who are “coming out” in order 
to publicize the epidemic of addiction—and to help other addicts break their silence. This new public recovery movement aims to transform public opinion, change public dialogue around addiction and recovery, and unite the recovery community as a political force. The film’s executive producer is the Morgan le Fay Dreams Foundation (of which Paul McCauley, is the chairman of The Fix’s parent company, and is Recovery Media’s president) and features actress and Guts author Kristen Johnston, Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, former congressman Patrick Kennedy, news anchor Laurie Dhue, former NBA star Chris Herren and many other public figures who have chosen to “come out” about living in recovery. As follows are the locations for the Preview Viewings in a city near you:

• Athens Georgia, Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 6:30pm The Morton Theater, 195 West Washington Street, Athens. get tickets at: mortontheatre.tix.com
• Greenville, South Carolina, Friday, May 3, 2013 at 7:00pm The Peace Center at Gunter Hall , 300 So Main St, Greenville. Get tickets at: favorscreening.eventbrite.com
• Columbia and Midlands, South Carolina, Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 6:00pm,Tapp’s Arts Center, 1644 Main Street, Columbia Get tickets at : www.favorsc.org
• Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 7:30pm, CDT, Walker Art Center , 1750 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. Get tickets at: www.minnesotarecovery.org
• Saint Louis, Missouri, Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 7:00pm, CDT The Tivoli Theatre 6350 Delmar Boulevard, Saint Louis,Get tickets at: www.ncada-stl.org
• Salt Lake City, Utah, Friday, May 10, 2013 at 6:00pm, MDT, Salt Lake City Public Library 210 East 400 South, Salt Lake City, Get tickets at: www.myusara.com
• Richmond, Virginia, Monday, May 13, 2013 at 6:00pm, Henrico Theatre, 305 E Nine Mile Rd, Richmond, Get tickets at: http://mcshinfoundation.org/The_Anonymous_People_event
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 6:00pm, Holy Family University, ETC Auditorium, 9801 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, Get tickets at: www.councilsepa.org
• Northern California, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Atherton, California Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 6:30pm,PDT, Menlo – Atherton High School, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton, California. Get tickets at: theanonymouspeopleca.eventbrite.com
• Danbury, Connecticut, Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 6:45pm, The Palace Danbury, 165 Main Street, Danbury. Get tickets at: tickets.thepalacedanbury.com

This guest blog was written by Sarah Beller, Editorial Intern at TheFix.com. You can contact her at:
sarah.lev.beller@gmail.com