Jay meets Viv, a wealthy law school student, and their worlds collide through love and addiction.
Viv is a musician with an angelic voice and soft features, while Jay is an eccentric artist with a free spirit.
Their romance flourishes, but as heroin enters their lives, everything spirals out of control.
When the couple hits rock bottom, they turn to a doctor who prescribes Suboxone, a medication designed to combat opioid dependence.
Suboxone works by blocking the brain’s neurotransmitters, fulfilling cravings without producing a high.
However, to take Suboxone, they must be sober for at least 12 hours to avoid dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
The film’s primary narrative follows Viv and Jay’s harrowing struggle through a night of heroin withdrawal, as they race to see their doctor at dawn.
The intensity of ‘Withdrawal’ draws parallels to the gripping 2010 film ‘127 Hours,’ which chronicled a mountaineer’s fight for survival after being trapped by a boulder.
Graphic depictions of withdrawal are portrayed through vomit, diarrhea, cold sweats, leg cramps, and heightened emotions.
Flashbacks intersperse the film, guiding the audience back to Viv and Jay’s lives before their drug use, as they grapple with the uncertainty of when everything began to deteriorate.
The film employs a gritty, vintage style shot with DV recorders, enhancing the raw storytelling.
Nicolette Emanuel, former Atlantan, provides a distorted audio track layered with the haunting sounds of Velvet Underground’s ‘Heroin,’ intensifying the film’s emotional experience.
Director Strand infuses his personal experience with heroin withdrawal into ‘Withdrawal.’
Once an aspiring actor at New York University, Strand’s life was marked by addiction and turmoil, leading him through a phase of homelessness before returning to Georgia to rebuild his life.
Through journaling during his early sobriety, he transformed his chaotic thoughts into dialogue, which would later inform the film’s script.
While on his sobriety journey, he was inspired by addiction-themed films such as ‘The Panic in Needle Park,’ leading him to pursue filmmaking.
Strand’s ambition extends beyond cinematic accomplishments; he hopes his film resonates authentically with audiences tied to addiction experiences.
“Withdrawal” seeks to be relatable—to foster understanding and empathy for those battling substance use disorders.
Strand emphasizes that the film is rooted in love, aiming to help viewers connect with characters Viv and Jay, particularly in the context of America’s current opioid crisis.
He believes that the realities of addiction resonate widely, impacting many lives directly or indirectly.
Despite the widespread stigma surrounding addiction, Strand has found that viewers feel comfortable sharing their own experiences with him.
The film also offers support to two Georgia nonprofit organizations.
The first organization, Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition, is dedicated to providing wellness services to individuals struggling with substance use disorders, offering tools like Narcan for overdose reversal, clean syringes, counseling, and insights into medication-assisted treatment.
The second nonprofit, Nuçi’s Space, is particularly meaningful to Strand, as it has supported musicians and artists dealing with mental health and addiction issues.
Nuçi’s Space played a vital role in providing Strand with guitar lessons and assisted him in connecting with his local Suboxone doctor during his journey to recovery.
Through ‘Withdrawal,’ Strand hopes to create a dialogue surrounding addiction and support initiatives that assist those in need.
This film serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles many face and the importance of compassion and understanding.
For those interested in the film, it premieres at the Tara Atlanta on May 4, with a sold-out world premiere on April 30.
Tickets are priced at $18, and the film will also be available for online streaming from May 5-12, along with a showing at the Athens Film Festival from August 14-17.
For more information, visit the Atlanta Film Festival website.
image source from：https://www.ajc.com/2025/04/film-about-heroin-withdrawal-sells-out-world-premiere-at-atlanta-film-fest/
