A free and open-to-the-public showing of a film that gives a detailed look into the role addiction plays in the lives of those involved will be held next Wednesday in Fort Myers.

Presented by Drug-Free Lee, the film “Inheritance” will be shown on Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Collaboratory, followed by a virtual talk-back with the producers of the film.

Deborah Comella, executive director of Drug-Free Lee, said the film aligns with the non-profits’ aim to end the stigma about addiction in the community.

“This is a story of a five-generation family in Ohio who is affected by substance abuse disorder,” Comella said. “The film follows a young man, who is a young adult now but was younger when they started filming, has determined that this is not going to happen to him. It speaks a lot to poverty, it speaks a lot to some of the factors that lead to substance abuse disorder, not knowing if its hereditary or not. What we want to show is that people get better, make good decisions, and we always have reason to hope. And around the holidays, we want to send a hopeful message. We’re going to have a lot of people in recovery at the screening, but of course you don’t know they’re in recovery. We just wanted to send a message of hope and that people recover, and to reduce stigma.”

“Inheritance,” which was released earlier this year, is a documentary that follows Curtis, a 12-year-old boy and his family over an 11-year period. Curtis is growing up in rural Appalachia in a family and community surrounded by substance use disorder and poverty. The film asks the question: Can Curtis break the cycle of addiction that has plagued his family for generations?

According to the film’s synopsis, “Inheritance” explores the underlying causes of the opioid epidemic in America through the life of one boy and five generations of his extended family. “Curtis, a bright and hopeful boy, grows up from age 12 to 18 surrounded by love and struggle while every adult in his family — parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins — battles addiction,” the synopsis states. “Curtis’ America is an America where people and communities are struggling with an epidemic of substance use disorder, joblessness and a deteriorating sense of belonging.”

Producers and directors of the documentary, Matt Moyer and Amy Toensing, stated that the film began in 2012 without them knowing it. Moyer was filming food distribution in a church and approached by J.P, a key character in the film and Curtis’ cousin. After hearing J.P talk about his addiction, jailing, and search for redemption, Moyer made a short film telling his story, with Toensing serving as second camera on the project.

“As we spent time with J.P., his family, and his community, we realized the issue was far more complex than the devastation wrought by one drug,” read a statement from the directors. “Here was a troubled America, one where communities that bore the brunt of economic decline now faced inherited poverty, joblessness, abuse, addiction, and hopelessness. At the core, it seemed, was a cycle of intergenerational trauma and mental health problems underlying America’s substance use disorder crisis.”

The pair met Curtis in 2016, and said they kept the focus on his story “With a belief that audiences would view him as a representative of millions of kids in America.”

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that about one out of every eight kids in America grows up in homes with a substance-use problem.

Comella said it’s vital to break the stigma surrounding addiction.

“It’s almost a situation where unless it happens to you and you understand it’s a brain disease — otherwise people very much feel you’re a bad person, you made bad choices, you deserve what you got,” she said. “So much of it is caused by opiates that are prescribed and in as little as five days, you can get addicted.

“Historically, if people are making judgments about us, it makes it harder to get treatment, access treatment. You need the support of a community to get better.”

Drug-Free Lee works year-round to send a vital message to children on how drugs can impact their lives. They have programs such as Drug House Odyssey, peer programs in schools, put out media programs made by local youth themselves in the form of public service announcements and social media messaging.

“We work very hard to get the message out,” Comella said. “(Parents) need to talk to their kids, have discussions with them, and get ready for the fact that they’re going to talk back, but, to tell your kids you love them and you care about them, and you don’t want anything to happen.”

With the holiday season here, Comella said now is a great time to reach out to a loved one that is struggling.

“The whole story of the holidays is hope and redemption,” she said. “No matter what religion you follow or spiritual path you take — we have to believe in hope and reception. That goes right along with our friends, relatives, and loved ones that may have substance abuse disorder who are not feeling the support and love that they need to seek treatment. It’s always a good time to reach out, but I think it’s really meaningful during the holidays.

“The lights around the holidays are a light of hope and the light of love. It’s a great time of year if you know someone or someone in your family (is struggling), to show that support.”

The event is free to attend, though organizers ask for attendees to RSVP if possible to the Eventbrite page on “http://Eventbrite.com” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Eventbrite.com searching “Inheritance Film and Producer Talk Back.”

Collaboratory is at 2031 Jackson St. in Fort Myers.

For more information on Drug-Free Lee, visit DrugFreeLee.org.