New York City - (May 6, 2024) - Directed by Brandon Kapelow and produced by Voyager, “An Act Of Service” investigates the stigmas surrounding mental health in the conservative, masculine culture of the fire service. Highlighting the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the short film documents an emerging form of treatment: ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
Following the journey of a firefighter living in the Mountain West, Rob is diagnosed with PTSD after experiencing a series of traumatic events at work. In an attempt to better manage his symptoms, he decides to undergo ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, a relatively new form of treatment that is not yet approved by the FDA. Over the course of several weeks, he works with a psychologist while receiving ketamine infusions to try and address the root of his trauma. Amidst his struggles, Rob grapples with opening up to peers and initiating difficult but necessary conversations while nurturing a closer relationship to his teenage daughter Keylie, as she undergoes her own parallel journey with her mental health.
“The American West grapples with some of the nation’s worst outcomes for behavioral health issues such as substance abuse and suicide,” shares Kapelow, reflecting on his upbringing in Wyoming. “I’ve also seen firsthand how the West is home to some of the country’s most conservative cultural and political views on psychedelics. In this film, I wanted to address that gap and challenge stereotypes around what a psychedelic user can look like. Through Rob's story, we wanted to foster empathy for individuals facing mental health challenges whose needs aren’t being met by existing therapies."
“This film is an eye-opening exploration of the job-related trauma and mental health challenges that emergency workers face, and we hope it helps facilitate open conversations about how to deal with those challenges in that community and beyond, ” said Christine Kecher, Senior Commissioning Editor for The New York Times Op-Docs.
Released by The New York Times Op-Docs and now widely available on Vimeo, the film was produced by David Terry Fine, and Executive Produced by Kapelow, Andrew Hutcheson of Voyager and Laurel Thomson.
About Brandon Kapelow
Brandon Kapelow is a filmmaker from Wyoming whose credits span work as a director, photographer and cinematographer. As a suicide loss survivor from an early age, Brandon is passionate about exploring topics related to mental health, which is his focus as the Western Media Fellow at Stanford University’s Bill Lane Center. His work has been published in The New York Times, NPR and TIME Magazine. Outside of his creative practice, Brandon is a peer-support facilitator for SOLACE and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
About Voyager
Voyager is a Brooklyn-based production company that tells stories of all sizes for agencies, brands, and audiences everywhere. Founded in 2015, Voyager quickly established itself as an incubator for new talent, garnering awards at D&AD, One Screen, YDA, Young Guns, and CLIOs. Voyager and its directors have collaborated with agencies such as 72&Sunny, Anomaly, and Wieden+Kennedy and for clients like Adidas, Kia, and McDonald’s, among countless others. Their documentary and narrative films are available for streaming on Hulu, HBO, and Apple TV+, being recognized at such prestigious festivals as SXSW, Tribeca, and CIFF. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
About Op-Docs
Op-Docs, The Times’s award-winning short documentary film series, is part of The Times’s Opinion video department. Curated from works by both renowned and emerging filmmakers, the collection of more than 400 short films have sparked global conversations, influenced national policies and garnered an array of industry distinctions, including Emmy Awards, Peabody Awards, and an Oscar.
