Union County

@ Will Poulter and Noah Centineo deliver pitch-perfect performances as brothers Cody and Jack Parsons, each navigating a court-mandated drug rehabilitation program in a pocket of rural Ohio hit hard by the opioid epidemic. Provided with hope for the first time since their struggles began and with the support of a tireless counselor (Annette Deao), the brothers work toward a brighter, sober future. Poulter and Centineo blend seamlessly with a supporting cast composed predominantly of non-professional actors as they share their actual experiences, pain, and optimism as they, themselves, navigate the program. Ohio-born filmmaker Adam Meeks creates a film imbued with realism for an honest, compassionate portrait of a battle being fought across America and the solidarity that flowers on its front lines. “The opioid epidemic has been ravaging the United States for decades, and while much attention has been paid to Big Pharma and the root causes and effects of the epidemic, topics of addiction treatment and access to recovery communities are still under-recognized. Although many recovery programs across the country are ineffective or problematic, the drug courts I’ve observed in Ohio are profound in their values, their success rates, and in their underlying sense of hope and connection. With Union County I’ve intended to look directly at that notion of connection, to celebrate the drug court and its participants, and to explore a complex but hopeful counter-narrative to the opioid epidemic that needs to be seen — a young man getting back on his feet. While the film employs a fictional dramatic narrative built around Will Poulter and Noah Centineo’s central performances, many of the court interactions emerge through a documentary process in the real space, with the real people. Additionally, many of the supporting characters are portrayed by non-professional actors from the Ohio recovery community playing versions of themselves; this includes Annette Deao, Judge Braig, and the majority of the recovery community surrounding our lead actors. The convergence of professional and non-professional actors is intended to ground the story in authenticity and to invite collaboration from the community and the real-life characters themselves. ” -Director’s Statement Center for ContemporaryArts Add to calendar Google Calendar iCalendar Outlook 365 Outlook Live