Maddie Kitchen
Maddie is an independent filmmaker who founded the non profit Sobriety Films UK to promote recovery from addiction, trauma and mental ill health. She recently attended the premiere of her film ‘How I Got Sober’ in Los Angeles at the Reel Recovery Film Festival. It will then be screening in London and New York. She is 13 years in recovery from alcohol dependence and is a passionate advocate for healing and recovery utilising her ‘lived experience’ . She has facilitated filmmaking workshops at NHS Specialist Drug Services for service users with complex needs. Maddie is currently shooting her next documentary and developing a film feature for independent cinema.
The Recovery Street Film Festival
The Recovery Street Film Festival is a project that encourages people in recovery to share their stories through short film making. The process of making, sharing, viewing and reflecting on the festival films is designed to help us put aside the stereotypical narratives of addiction and connect through our shared hopes, aspirations, dreams and fears. The aim of the festival is to play a part in addressing the self, societal and structural stigma of addiction that creates harm and leads to discrimination.
Maddie will discuss the use of filmmaking and creativity as a healing tool from addiction. It has been a major part of her recovery and while working with service users in active addiction, she has seen filmmaking workshops increase their self confidence, self esteem and hope that recovery is possible.