Acclaimed documentary writer/director/producer Eric Christiansen has announced production for his next full-length documentary, UnMASKing HOPE and the release of the film’s official trailer.
LOS ANGELES, April 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Acclaimed documentary writer/director/producer Eric Christiansen has announced production for his next full-length documentary, UnMASKing HOPE and the release of the film’s official trailer. UnMASKing HOPE, a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), is slated for release on national public media in early 2020. Access the official trailer for UnMASKing HOPE here: https://youtu.be/SpNvbex7REI UnMASKing HOPE chronicles the extraordinary stories of a disparate group of trauma survivors who don “masks” that bury their spiritual, physical and emotional pain. From survivors of 9/11 and mass shootings, to service members in combat and chronic sexual abuse victims, the film goes behind their MASKS to experience the abuse, social stigma, and moral injury that have scarred their souls. As we are taken on their journey from seclusion to inclusion, we realize that the aggregate stories of these brave individuals share a powerful message of HOPE, inspiring us to unMASK our own HOPE and be who we were born to be. Ultimately the film demonstrates the resiliency of the human spirit and promotes tolerance and empathy for those who have been stigmatized by unthinkable traumatic events. “I am honored to be able to bring the voices of these brave trauma survivors, like sexual assault victims, to the forefront,” Christiansen said. “By shining a light on journeys of healing, the film can educate audiences about the impact trauma has on survivors, their families and the community and create a unified message of hope for us all,” he said. Christiansen, a seven-time recipient of a Southwestern Emmy award, saw critical and commercial success with his last film, “Searching for Home: Coming Back from War,” which explored the harrowing effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on military families after veterans returned from combat. The documentary, which launched on Southern California public television KCET in 2016, was distributed nationally by NETA and aired more than 2,300 times with an estimated 10 million viewers during its run on public television. The film received five-star ratings on iTunes and Amazon Video. While driven by emotional storytelling, UnMASKing HOPE includes expert commentary from academics, scientists and doctors at the pinnacles of their fields who offer insights around the complexities of trauma and the long process of healing and recovery. They include Dr. Jeremy Crosby, Trauma Therapist/Expert and Author of the book, “A Mind Frozen in Time - A PTSD Recovery Guide"; Dr. Amit Etkin - Psychiatrist / Researcher at Etkin Lab / Faculty at Stanford University; and Dr. Arieh Shalev -New York University Barbara Wilson Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry. UnMASKing HOPE also speaks to the general population who has gone through difficult life experiences and hide behind their own masks as a result. Christiansen added: “We live in a time when we need to hear, more than ever, that human beings have the faith and strength to find their way back from dark places of emotional despair, and I am thankful for all of the participants in this film who bared their souls to facilitate healing and hope for others.” Industry luminary Ed Bell (Unchained Memories) provides lyrical and textured animated impressions of survivors’ inner life to help illustrate the raw emotions in their stories. The score is composed by Christiansen’s longtime artistic collaborator Craig Dobbin, (NCIS Los Angeles). Christiansen’s “Searching for Home: Coming Back from War” scored by Dobbin was nominated for a Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Award. The film received significant technical and product support from Blackmagic Design. Shot with the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro, UnMASKing HOPE was posted in DaVinci Resolve Studio. Join the conversation using on social media: #UnMASKingHOPE. For downloadable images click HERE. For more information please visit www.unmaskinghopethemovie.com. About the International Documentary Association (IDA) About EC Productions About Eric Christiansen CONTACT: View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inspirational-new-documentary-unmasking-hope-to-feature-extraordinary-stories-of-trauma-survivors-on-journeys-to-find-hope---from-acclaimed-filmmaker-eric-christiansen-300829665.html SOURCE EC Productions |