Alyssa Botelho is a Fairhaven resident and student at the University of Rhode Island. Her latest short film Junkie is co-produced by Elizabeth Piotrowski and Olivia Carle.

Filming took place in November on the SouthCoast and in Rhode Island with a crew of University of Rhode Island students, alumni, and film production peers from the SouthCoast.

Inspired by true events, Junkie is about a man struggling with a drug addiction who makes a surprising connection with a police officer at his breaking point. The short film depicts the mental struggle behind drug addiction, the estrangement from the family that so often comes with it, and the role of law enforcement in a society of broken people.

New York City actors Alessandro Gian Viviano (lead), Matt David (lead), Emmett White (supporting), and Robert Aloi (supporting) play the main roles of Whitty, Officer Stewart, Rex, and Russell.

Not only is Botelho the writer of the film, but she directed it as well. The story is based on real interactions between a police officer and a criminal struggling with drug addiction. It serves as a message of hope for people struggling with addiction and paints law enforcement in a positive light.

“I wanted to have the audience come away with more of an understanding about drug addiction and the people that struggle with it. To think about them on a deeper level, as someone behind the stereotype. That’s what is really important about film; To change the way people think about things.” - Alyssa Botelho

Botelho created the film for a class project in advanced film production. More details and updates are on the short film’s Facebook page. Junkie is set to screen for free to the public at the Fairhaven Town Hall on Friday, January 10 before being submitted to festivals worldwide.

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