By 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday June 22, 2026
Media Contact: Griffin Gonzales, Mountainside Treatment Center
(231) 794-9450, griffin.gonzales@mountainside.com
NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 22, 2026) — Mountainside Treatment Center is proud to present the inaugural Dopey Recovery Short Film Festival, a first-of-its-kind event celebrating original films that explore addiction, recovery, resilience, loss, and redemption through the power of storytelling.
Hosted by the creator of the acclaimed recovery podcast Dopey, the festival will take place on Friday, June 26, at the SVA Theatre in New York City. The evening will feature screenings of five original short films, filmmaker Q&As, a reception, and opportunities for attendees to connect with artists, advocates, and members of the recovery community.
The event reflects a growing movement to expand conversations around addiction and recovery beyond clinical settings and into culture, art, and community.
“Recovery doesn’t only happen in treatment centers, it happens in conversations, communities, and culture,” said Olivia Suk, VP of Marketing at Mountainside. “The Dopey Recovery Short Film Festival brings together filmmakers, artists, advocates, and people in recovery to share stories that challenge stigma and remind us that recovery is not only possible, but worthy of being celebrated. We’re proud to support an event that expands how these stories are told.”
The festival will showcase five films that examine addiction and recovery through a variety of lenses, including personal transformation, family relationships, grief, resilience, and reentry.
Featured films include:
- No More Secrets — A documentary highlighting the transformative power of recovery and the impact addiction has on individuals and families.
- Sometimes I Imagine Your Funeral — A drama examining overdose loss, sibling grief, and the emotional aftermath of addiction.
- Reclaim and Reframe: Baltimore — A documentary exploring recovery, incarceration, reentry, and resilience through lived experience.
- A Life After — A documentary following professional skateboarder Reese Barton as he reflects on addiction, injury, recovery, and rediscovering purpose.
- This or Life — A narrative short exploring youth culture, poor decisions, redemption, and consequence.
“Dopey has always been about telling the truth about addiction and recovery—the funny parts, the painful parts, and everything in between,” said Dave Manheim, creator and host of Dopey. “The film festival is an extension of that idea. We wanted to create a space where filmmakers could share stories that are honest, human, and sometimes uncomfortable, because that’s what recovery really looks like. We’re incredibly grateful to Mountainside for helping us bring this vision to life.”
The evening begins with a reception at 7:00 p.m. featuring food, non-alcoholic beverages, local artists, and members of the recovery community, followed by film screenings and discussions with participating filmmakers.
The Dopey Recovery Short Film Festival will take place Friday, June 26, at SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street, New York, NY.
Tickets are available at:
https://buytickets.at/thedopeyfoundation
About Dopey
Dopey is an award-winning podcast focused on addiction, recovery, and the often absurd realities of life before and after substance use. Through candid conversations, humor, and storytelling, Dopey has built a passionate community of listeners dedicated to recovery, connection, and honesty.