A bold, provocative, narrative-busting documentary that charts the dramatic re-emergence of the psychedelic movement into the mainstream consciousness and – more controversially – how this is intersecting with western capitalism, the mental health crisis, and indigenous practices.

 

We’re in the midst of a global mental health crisis. Multiple clinical studies have shown the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, however, the field is evolving at breakneck speed.

This documentary poses urgent questions that need to be asked.

We want to thank everyone who has supported this project so far. This documentary, formerly known as The Psychedelic Renaissance, truly is a community effort. We’re so grateful to everyone who has given their money and/or time to help us complete it.

To date, we’ve raised approximately £19K and this is our third and last fundraising round. Our goal is to raise £7,000 to finalise the film, so it’s ready to premiere this summer.

Our mission is to create a more balanced conversation in the field of psychedelics and mental health, and bring about urgent systemic change. Every donation will help us immensely.

Click the button below to donate to our our project.

TEASER TRAILER

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER COMMUNITY

For priority access to future screenings and online viewings, sign up now.


Today, it’s hard to miss the explosion of interest in the field of psychedelics. For advocates, like us, who have worked hard to remove the stigma for so many years, it’s an incredible shift to witness. The tide of public opinion is changing. Our scientific and medical institutions are changing. Even the mainstream media is on board. We’re riding a wave of global change, bringing progressive drug reform and the imminent decriminalisation of psilocybin, and other plant medicines, across America and Europe. But, with a whole industry springing up, we also have to question, whose interests are we really serving?

We live in a hyper-consumerist society that’s dominated by pharmaceutical giants, venture capitalists, Silicon Valley ‘tech-bros’ and billionaire king-makers. This is the landscape in which the psychedelic movement has been flourishing – with worrying consequences.

Our project seeks to present a critical, unbiased account of the history of the movement; its eurocentrism, current corporatised reality, and future trajectories; paying close attention to those most affected by the historic war on drugs: BIPOC, LGBTQI2S+ and disabled people

In this documentary, we follow some of the most influential people in the rebirth of the psychedelic movement – academics, therapists, patients, practitioners and recreational users – to understand their private challenges and concerns with how the industry is developing.

While it’s incredibly exciting that modern society is beginning to recognise the crucial role that psychedelic plants and mushrooms can play in human culture, we need to take a closer look at the controversial field surrounding these substances, and be a voice for balance, interconnectedness and community.

 
diversity of opinions.jpg

We speak to people from across the community, including many highly respected public figures in the space: Micheal Pollan, David Bronner, Amanda Feilding, Natalie Ginsberg, Friedericke Meckel, Sara Read, Darren Le Baron, Dr Sam Gandy, Dr Christopher Timmermann, and more.

We closely focus on the work of some of the leading figures in the community who share their private challenges with the industry as it’s developing:

Clinical psychologist Dr Rosalind Watts, founder of ACER Integration and former lead clinician on the Imperial College London Psilocybin for Depression study (Psilodep2);

Michelle Baker Jones, Psilodep 2, currently Small Pharma and Imperial College London - DMT for Depression Trial;

Leonie Schneider, co-founder of PsyPAN and former patient on the Psilodep 2 study;

Camille Barton, artist and drug policy activist, focusing on racial and LGBTQ+ equality;

Anya Oleksiuk, film maker and co-owner of the Psychedelic Society; and

Akua Ofosuhene, producer of African Spiritual Practices, broadcaster, psychedelic fashion designer, co-founder of Hub + Culture

 

We’re at a critical moment in time.

There’s a lot of excitement about psychedelics and the therapeutic potential they may hold – but there’s also a lot of dangerous misinformation. We’re presenting an in-depth portrait of the current psychedelic movement, looking at how we can work with these substances, safely and responsibly, in order to minimise potential harm and maximise the benefits.

 

“For those of us who have been working towards the careful integration of psychedelics into modern society, it’s hard not to be concerned. If we introduce these substances into the old system (based on individualism, competition, and inequity) we risk amplifying the old problems and creating new ones. We need to start building the more collaborative, inclusive and interconnected systems that we want psychedelics to be part of. It’s so important we come together now to ask difficult questions, learn from our mistakes so far, and consider ways forward that can serve and safeguard the many, not the few.”

Dr Rosalind Watts