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The Womenhe women undergo dramatic transformation as they learn recovery and parenting skills and attempt to become self-sufficient. As their stories unfold, the film takes an unflinching look at America’s war on drugs aimed at pregnant and parenting women with addictions, and the legacy of imprisonment and foster care on their children. We meet:On Life's Terms: Mothers in Recovery follows four women in gender specific residential treatment in San Rafael, CA over three years. The women arrive voluntarily or through drug court, but they all desire the same thing: custody of their children.
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Rachel, 22, escaped to the residency one night when her 35 year old abusive boyfriend was arrested for selling drugs. She has two daughters, ages 1 ½ and ten months. Rachel began drinking at age 11 and using meth at 13. Her father was using meth and introduced her to it. As a young girl, she hid from her abusive uncle. She wants to stop the cycle of abuse.
Lisa S, 41, had to petition the judge to go to treatment and give birth outside of the prison walls. She has spent 7 of the past 9 years in prison for drug possession and sales. Her boyfriend of 11 years has also been in and out of prison. She hopes it will work out with him. Lisa doesn’t have a good resume, but wants to get a job and raise her daughter in a clean environment., 31, left Hawaii after pressing charges against her violent boyfriend who beat the crap out of her with her baby in her arms. She was doing online prostitution before voluntarily going into the program. Her mother was given temporary custody of her 3 ½ year old daughter after calling the police when Leslie ran up $6,200 on credit cards. It hurts Leslie to see that her daughter is doing better without her. She “wants to be there for every part of her life.”
Leslie
Lisa R, 38, relapsed after three years. She has two daughters, ages 7 ½ and 3 ½. One afternoon in a parking lot she put her youngest daughter on the hood of the car to talk to her and a man called the police. He thought she was abusing the girl. It wasn’t true, but Lisa was arrested and then returned to the program. She is determined to get back on track.
Julia, 24, almost lost her newborn son to foster care when he tested positive for drugs at birth. She got hooked the first time she smoked meth. If Julia doesn’t complete the program, she will lose custody of her son. She gets emotional when thinking that she could lose him. Her mother didn’t raise her because of drugs.
On Life's Terms combats the social stigma that mothers on drugs are lost to society forever by illuminating how a gender specific treatment program can help women overcome life’s adversities to claim their dignity and self-worth. Themes explored in the film are substance abuse, domestic violence, self-empowerment, motherhood and family.
On Life's Terms will be a tool for social change by stimulating a national dialogue around the issues of mothers with addiction and provide an alternative to incarceration and breaking family ties. To date, there are less than 150 programs in the United States.Please contact us at: 415.564.3691 or onlifesterms.film@gmail.com, if you or your group would like to host a fundraising screening.
(c) 2012 Sheila Ganz