Bess O’Brien, director of the internationally acclaimed documentary “The Hungry Heart,” will discuss drug addiction and recovery at SUNY Canton.
O’Brien will speak at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center’s Kingston Theater. The event is free and open to the public.
O’Brien released “The Hungry Heart” last year, providing an in-depth look at the world of prescription drug addiction through the eyes of Vermont pediatrician Dr. Fred Holmes, who prescribes suboxone to his patients struggling with prescription drug addiction. Much like methadone, suboxone helps many addicts in their recovery process – for some taking suboxone is a crucial stepping stone to long term recovery, for others it is a crutch. Throughout the film, the viewer sees Dr. Holmes struggling with these challenges and trying to make sense and keep the faith in the midst of many contradictions.
The documentary has received international praise for starting a conversation about opiate abuse and has been highlighted on CBS Evening News, Al Jazeera, the New York Times and ABC.
O’Brien is the winner of the 2014 Walter Cerf Award for Excellence in the Arts; the 2012 Labor of Love Award from Vermont Works for Women; the 2011 Voices For Vermont’s Children Youth Advocacy Award in recognition of O’Brien’s creative and artistic advocacy on behalf of Vermont children; the 2010 National Education Association Human and Civil Rights Award for Shout it Out for empowering youth voice; and other awards.
About SUNY Canton
SUNY Canton is Northern New York’s premier college for career-driven bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The college delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management and public service. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to outstanding academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as eight exclusively online bachelor’s degrees. The college’s 14 athletic teams compete as provisional members of the NCAA Division III and the USCAA.
