ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
A firefighter in rural America undergoes ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in an attempt to resolve his work-related PTSD.

SYNOPSIS
UNDER FIRE is an observational documentary that follows Capt. Rob Christensen, a firefighter in the mountain west, as he undergoes a course of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) to treat his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Through an evidence-based six week program, Rob visits a clinic to receive intravenous ketamine infusions while working with a psychologist to address the roots of his trauma. The film traces Rob’s journey as he navigates the masculine atmosphere of the fire service, life as a divorced parent of a teen daughter with her own mental health struggles, and the stigma surrounding psychedelic medicines in the conservative culture of western Idaho.

The central framework of this story explores the degree to which KAP makes an impact on Rob’s life. Both in his own mental growth and in how he engages with his most intimate relationships. During treatment sessions, Rob addresses difficult experiences from his career in the fire service, ranging from the wild grief of a mother whose child has died from SIDS, to responding to the suicide attempt of a beloved colleague. But Rob is surprised to discover that his own experiences with the trauma of an unstable childhood hold equal weight in his psyche.

The film probes the impact of these KAP sessions on his life through the in-between moments, observing how his colleagues and family members react to his participation in the program, as well as how his interactions with them change over time. We get to witness the trust and vulnerability that Rob begins to facilitate with those around him as he shares his own mental health journey within his community.

PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature

DIRECTOR Brandon Kapelow
PRODUCER Laurel Thomson

WEBSITE nytimes.com/2024/03/26/opinion/ketamine-therapy-ptsd-workers.html