Pubdate: Wed, 07 Mar 2007
Source: City Centre Mirror (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 Metroland Media Group Ltd
Contact:  http://www.insidetoronto.ca/to/centre/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4438
Author: Justin Skinner

TAKING A CRACK AT ADDICTION

Documentary Shows That Anyone Can Be At Risk

Growing up in an idyllic community, with stable friends and good schooling 
may have its advantages, but it's no sure-fire recipe for success or happiness.

Local documentary filmmaker Paul Perrier knows full well that a good 
upbringing can still lead to a tragic lifestyle, and he captured that truth 
in his documentary Cracked Not Broken. The film focuses on Lisa, a 
37-year-old woman whose childhood in the tony Deer Park community could not 
keep her from a life on the streets, working as a prostitute to fund her 
crack cocaine addiction.

Perrier has known Lisa for years, as the subject of his film is a lifelong 
friend of his partner Nicol Kalman.

"I was working on a film about one of my friend's battles with addiction 
and I asked her in one of her times of sobriety for her advice as someone 
who's lived that life," the director said. "She watched it and said, 'If I 
ever fall back into (that lifestyle), I'll give you a call and you can film 
me.'"

In February 2004, Perrier got the call and arranged to meet Lisa in the 
hotel room in which she was living and doing business. The footage he took 
that day, shot in the hotel room, shows Lisa taking phone calls from johns 
and injecting crack while discussing her lifestyle. The footage is raw, 
which suits the subject matter, and Perrier saw the story it told stood on 
its own as a documentary.

"When I first saw it, I thought it was really powerful," he said. "I showed 
the footage to Lisa and when I saw the reaction she had to the film, I 
thought it would really affect other people. Everybody's touched by 
addiction, either themselves or someone they know."

While other films have documented the subject matter, Cracked Not Broken is 
unique for showing the often ignored fact that it is not confined to 
poverty-stricken and crime-ridden neighbourhoods.

"It can happen to anybody, and that's one of the biggest reasons I wanted 
to do the movie," Perrier said. "I saw my two kids going to the same school 
(that Nicol and Lisa attended) and it's easy to think that it won't happen 
at that school, but you can never know."

As a young girl, Lisa lived in a stable and affluent community and attended 
Bishop Strachan School along with Kalman when they were younger. Kalman 
said that even in those early days, Lisa showed signs that she might fall 
in with the wrong crowd.

"She was always a bit rebellious and that's what I always loved about 
Lisa," Kalman said. "But there was a time when we weren't such best friends 
and I'd run into Lisa at Summerhill station and she'd be high on acid. This 
was in Grade 8, and while I'm focused on sports and academics, she's taking 
drugs."

Though Perrier's film takes a hard look at a difficult subject, local 
broadcasters showed little interest in broadcasting it. When local stations 
were slow to jump on board, Perrier screened Cracked Not Broken at local 
theatres and showed it to students and parents at a number of private 
schools across Toronto.

"There's always a strong reaction from audiences," he said. "What's 
interesting, though, is that we'll have one screening for students and 
there will be hundreds of kids there, and then we'll have one for parents 
and 30 people will come out. In a lot of ways, it's more important for 
parents to see the film, but a lot of parents are afraid that if they go to 
something like that, people will assume that their kids are using."

Perrier said he was puzzled by the underwhelming response from Canadian 
networks, who told him it was not "broadcast quality."

"You get people filming things on their cellphones and the networks will 
take it because it gets them into places where news crews might not 
otherwise get," Perrier said. "This is the same thing. It was shot on a 
Handycam for $30. It's a good Canadian story that's being totally ignored."

Cracked Not Broken has received plenty of acclaim south of the border, 
however. It was recently picked up by HBO and will air on a free preview 
weekend on Saturday, March 17. Lisa's story was also prominently featured 
on an episode of Oprah.

Though the film is gaining steam, Lisa continues to experience ups and 
downs in her own battle against drug addiction. She has attended treatment 
facilities, though she typically relapses when she re-enters society.

"She's been using really seldomly lately," Kalman said. "I asked her why 
she does it and she told me, 'Nicol, when I'm high, I'm sitting in the 
corner in the complete dark and freaking out.' She was always the party 
girl, but it's not fun for her now, it's the addiction."

Lisa's struggles are documented on her personal blog on the film's website, 
www.crackednotbroken.com, which also shows upcoming screenings and provides 
visitors with an opportunity to purchase the documentary.

Perrier is currently working on a new project, Cracked Wide Open, that 
follows the divergent paths taken by both Lisa and his original film. It 
looks at Lisa's steps toward recovery and setbacks, as well as the Deer 
Park-based director's efforts to get his film recognized.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D