Join Panhandle PBS and Image Quilt Cinema for a free, virtual screening of "Love in the Time of Fentanyl."
"Love in the Time of Fentanyl" is an intimate portrait of a Canadian community working to give hope to a neighborhood ravaged by an all-time-high of overdose deaths. Filmmaker Colin Askey captures the lives of employees and volunteers at the Overdose Prevention Society (OPS), a supervised drug injection site that aims to save lives and reduce tragedy in a community often referred to as "ground zero" of the overdose crisis.
OPS was founded without government approval by Sarah Blyth, and is operated by active and former drug users. "Love in the Time of Fentanyl" follows the day-to-day operations of OPS as they reverse overdoses and move past the stigma of drug use and addiction. The film is a personal look into the lives of some of the most vulnerable in the overdose crisis, and how safe injection sites can provide hope for those struggling with addiction.
"As the U.S. now faces over 100,000 overdose deaths a year, I hope this film can provide a window for American audiences into the inner workings of an overdose prevention site, which have been proven to save lives around the world for over 35 years, yet remain illegal in the U.S. under federal law," said Askey. "I hope that audiences draw inspiration from this beautiful band of misfits who fight with radical compassion and love for their community in a way that we can all learn from."
"Love in the Time of Fentanyl" premiered at 9:00 p.m. on Monday, February 13 on Panhandle PBS. The free, virtual screening will take place at 4:30 p.m. CST on Monday, February 27. For more information about the screening, click here.