I Am We Treatment

DOCUTAINMENT ﬁlms

I am We

A feature length documentary film

Director & Producer Ron Davis

I AM Executive Producers Regina K. Scully Geralyn Dreyfous

Producers Nancy Talcott and Clay Westervelt

OVERVIEW OF SUBJECT MATTER

What happens to a helpless child who is subjected to continual sexual, physical or emotional abuse by a friend, relative or worse, a parent? How does the young victim cope, survive and live day-to-day knowing they have no escape? For some, the only way to endure the abuse is by dissociating or literally, breaking off from themselves to escape the reality of what is happening to them.

DID (dissociative identity disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder) has been described as one of the mind’s most brilliant methods of survival. DID is also one of the most controversial psychiatric disorders with no universal consensus regarding its existence, diagnosis or treatment.

When children under the age of six are subjected to repeated abuse and unspeakable trauma they must find defense mechanisms in order to survive. For some, the mind creates a system allowing them to compartmentalize their feelings into separate altered parts or individual identities, which have their own personality traits, characteristics, and memories.

Each identity can have its own name and personal history. Many DID survivors describe the complex co-existence of their various personalities as “a system”. This system is comprised of many self-states working together to navigate the day-to-day emotional life of the individual in order to survive the unimaginable abuse.

However, as an adult freed from their childhood trauma, the dissociative system that enabled the child to survive his or her youth now only hinders their ability to thrive. As adults, they are left aware of a fraction of who they are or what they are doing. The different parts/identities of the system continue to do the work for which they were originally created.

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DOCUTAINMENT ﬁlms

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Docutainment Films and Director Ron Davis have unprecedented access to the annual conference founded specifically for people living with DID. An Infinite Mind (http://www.aninfinitemind.com) is the first and leading DID non-profit organization for survivors. They organize the conference each year where more than 300 people from around the world attend for support, education and to share their experiences living with DID. It is one of the only conferences like it in the world.

I am We will be a cinéma vérité style film that follows the life of several individuals as they and their family make their way through this extraordinary weekend event. The film will then take us home with our main characters as they invite us into their world, so that we may better understand how they navigate life with this vastly misunderstood and fascinating disorder. Their stories will shed light upon the long- lasting effects of trauma and sexual abuse that begins in childhood through interviews with the individuals as well as their families, friends and therapists; and will examine the avenues for recovery.

The film will examine the controversial nature of the diagnosis through selected interviews with leading experts on DID, but at its heart, this film will allow the audience to gain an intimate look into the lives those with DID, hear and understand their stories.

I am We will also explore DID from the perspective of the individuals’ families. What is it like to grow up with a parent or live with a spouse with DID? He or she may not always appear to be the same person and may at times act the age of his or her own child. The film will also reveal many of the fascinating abilities that the people with the disorder often possess. Alter identities or alter parts may have different eyesight, may have the ability to speak a different language, different handwritings, left- handed vs. right-handed, the ability to suppress pain or symptoms of illness and ability to multitask with precision. Imagine being able to watch television, read a book and write notes all at the same time or have a different sexuality.

It has been more than 25 years since there has been a significant film about DID. This project is an opportunity to present one of the worlds most debated, controversial and intriguing disorders in a completely new and in-depth way, while shedding a light on the damaging and pervasive effects of child abuse.

www.docutainmentfilms.com

DOCUTAINMENT ﬁlms THE TEAM

Ron Davis (Director/Producer) Ron directed & produced the documentary, HARRY & SNOWMAN, which is winning awards on the 2015 film festival circuit and will be released in early 2016, as well as the critically acclaimed 2013 HBO feature documentary, MISS YOU CAN DO IT. In 2010, his feature documentary, PAGEANT, garnered more than 10 film festival awards and premiered on The Sundance Channel.

Regina K. Scully (Executive Producer) Regina is the Founder and CEO of Artemis Rising Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to developing and promoting media, education and healing projects that transform our culture. Ms. Scully is an Academy Award® nominated executive producer, most recently for the 2013 powerful documentary called THE INVISIBLE WAR. Scully also executive produced MISSREPRESENTATION, a compelling documentary exposing the gender bias that still exists in our country based on the limited portrayals of women and young girls in our Media, Politics and Entertainment.

Geralyn Dreyfous (Executive Producer) Geralyn is the founder of the Utah Film Center and co-founder of Impact Partners Film. Her independent producing credits include the Academy Award® winning Born Into Brothels; Emmy® nominated The Day My God Died; Academy Award® nominated The Square, Academy Award® nominated The Invisible War and multiple film festival winners. Geralyn was honored with the IDA’s 2013 Amicus Award for her significant contribution to documentary filmmaking.

Nancy Knox Talcott (Producer) Nancy Knox Talcott has worked as a producer for over 20 years. She was the associate producer on the Oscar® nominated film GOD IS THE BIGGER ELVIS, and producer on current film festival darling HARRY & SNOWMAN. She was the coordinating producer on the acclaimed THE PRESIDENTS’ GATEKEEPERS for the Discovery Channel, as well as ALL ABOUT ANN: Governor Richards of the Lone Star State, REMEBERING THE ARTIST: Robert DeNiro Senior, and upcoming SAN FRANCISCO 2.0 for HBO.

Clay Westervelt (Director of Photography, Producer) Clay filmed the Emmy® winning documentary THE LEGEND OF PANCHO BARNES and THE HAPPY BOTTOM RIDING CLUB, as well as the Grammy® nominated JOHNNY CASH'S AMERICA. Clay and Ron collaborated on HARRY & SNOWMAN, MISS YOU CAN DO IT and PAGEANT. [email protected]

Claudia Raschke-Robinson (Cinematographer) Claudia is an award-winning cinematographer who has worked on the Oscar® nominated documentary films, MY ARCHITECT: A SON’S JOURNEY, SISTER ROSE’S PASSION and SMALL WONDERS. Her most recent feature documentary project PARTICLE FEVER has won many film festival awards and is screening in theaters around the world.

Miriam Cutler (Composer) Miriam Cutler is an Emmy-nominated composer whose credits include THE HUNTING GROUND/CNN, Oscar® nominated KINGSPOINT/HBO, POSTER GIRL/HBO, Emmy® winners GHOSTS OF ABU GRAHIB/HBO, ONE LAST HUG/HBO, VITO/HBO, nominees AMERICAN PROMISE/PBS, ETHEL/HBO, THIN/HBO, DESERT OF FORBIDDEN ART/PBS.

TBA (Editor)

Bob Eisenhardt, A.C.E. (Editorial Consultant) Bob is a three-time Emmy® Award winner and Oscar® nominee. With over 60 films to his credit, he has edited documentaries for Barbara Kopple, Maysles Films, Susan Froemke, Matt Tyrnauer, Marc Levin, David Grubin and Alex Gibney.