Underneath Alberta’s booming oil sands industry, a crisis is bubbling that’s been ignored for a decade. In this award-winning doc, go inside camps near Fort McMurray and Grande Prairie, where workers are suffering from mental health issues at disproportionally high rates. From extreme loneliness and isolation to long hours and substance abuse, a group of men open up about the emotional toll of working and living in the oilpatches. Reflecting on their own struggles and personal journeys to recovery, they reveal a culture of silence that often surrounds men’s mental health. The first, and biggest step is asking for help.
This program is supported by Calgary Economic Development Film Commission, Edmonton Screen Industries Office, and the Government of Alberta, in partnership with DOC Alberta.