LOGAN A screening of the film Hazard, which explores the struggles of addiction in Appalachia, will take place Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Fountain Place Cinema 8. Screenwriter Eddie Mensore, originally from West Virginia, will attend the screening and host a Q&A session following the credits.
The movie, which debuted Friday, tells the story of a man grappling with severe addiction in Hazard, Kentucky. The Fountain Place screening, originally set for last Monday, was postponed due to last week's winter weather.
Mensore wrote the script in 2003, years before opioid addiction became a widely discussed crisis. He explained that the story is inspired by real events he witnessed in Hazard, particularly through interactions with people affected by addiction, including the brother of a close friend.
“This is something really personal that I wanted to make,” Mensore said. “I’ve been trying to make it for twenty years.”
Mensore said that Hazard is neither a documentary nor an exposé on pharmaceutical companies. Instead, it offers a raw depiction of addiction’s impact on individuals and communities.
“It is a tough film to watch,” he admitted. “But my goal with it is that it’s very easy to write off people with addictions, and I’m just hoping that, if you can start to see it through their eyes, maybe we can all have a little bit more compassion.”
Mensore noted that filming took place over just fifteen days on location, a challenge for the crew. He also addressed the stigma faced by people in Appalachia, saying outsiders often dismiss those struggling with addiction.
“They deserve more compassion and understanding than what they receive,” he said.
The film’s title, Hazard, serves a dual purpose, referencing both the town and the dangers of succumbing to addiction. While the story offers hope, Mensore described the ending as intentionally open-ended, mirroring the ongoing nature of addiction recovery.
“Addiction’s never a cut-and-dry successful story. It’s an everyday climb that you’ve got to go through,” he said.
In addition to Hazard, Mensore revealed plans for a future film focusing on the Battle of Blair Mountain, with the script already complete and awaiting production.