GATEWAY Documentary to Screen at Garden State Film Festival Reveals Surgery as an Often Overlooked Contributor to Opioid Epidemic

PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GATEWAY, an award-winning film that presents the stories of three families inadvertently impacted by opioid addiction that began with a prescription to manage pain after surgery, will be showcased as an Official Selection of the 18^th Annual Garden State Film Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The screening will take place on Saturday, March 28 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. at the Berkeley Hotel Continental Room. The 40-minute documentary is presented by Choices Matter – a national movement designed to educate and empower patients to have proactive discussions with their clinicians about available non-opioid options for managing postsurgical pain.

Since its debut in late 2019, GATEWAY has garnered several prestigious accolades, including:

• Best Documentary Feature from the LA Movie Awards
• Best Director and Best Documentary Featurette from the Festigious Film Festival
• Official Selection for the Docs Without Borders Film Festival
• Award of Merit for Documentary Short and Humanitarian Award from the Best Shorts Competition
• Award of Merit for Documentary Short from the Impact DOCS Awards

The deeply-moving film is thoughtfully told through the eyes and hearts of everyday American families who were introduced to opioids after surgery and go on to battle with addiction – either personally or as a caregiver to a loved one. The result is a humanizing and eye-opening look into the struggles that can be caused by legal opioid prescriptions when the dangers of these medications are not properly understood. The film features a woman who faced addiction following a Cesarean section, a high school athlete who struggled with opioids after suffering multiple sports-related injuries, a young woman who has battled addiction for over a decade, and a surgeon who has made it his mission to reduce opioid prescribing after surgery.

"It's been an extremely humbling and inspiring experience to be part of this important film, and I'm thrilled that it has received so much recognition, including being chosen to screen at the Garden State Film Festival," said Dr. Richard Chudacoff, an obstetrician and gynecologist based in New Providence, N.J. who is featured in the film. "The nation is at a crossroads with the current opioid epidemic and, as surgeons, we have an important role to play in reducing unnecessary exposure to opioids. By using a combination with other non-opioid medications, including a long-acting numbing medication injected during surgery, I have been able to effectively manage my C-section patients' pain without exposing them to opioids and their associated risks. I have seen firsthand the positive impact this has on patient recovery and now I'm hoping other surgeons will follow suit."

The GATEWAY screening at the Garden State Film Festival is open to the public with a purchased ticket. Interested parties can visit www.gsff.org/tickets for more information. GATEWAY director Dana Richie will be available for questions in the filmmaker's lounge at the Berkley Hotel throughout the day and immediately following the screening. To watch the full documentary, or to find other materials related to non-opioid options, please visit www.GatewayFilm.com.

About Choices Matter
Choices Matter is a national movement designed to educate patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals about the non-opioid options available for managing pain after surgery, and to promote proactive discussions about pain management choices before surgery. To learn more about Choices Matter visit www.PlanAgainstPain.com.

About Garden State Film Festival
The Garden State Film Festival (GSFF) was envisioned by 25-year film industry veteran Diane Raver and the late Hollywood actor Robert Pastorelli in 2002 and launched the following year. Since 2003, thousands of films have made their public premieres, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have attended; and the total infusion of cash to local businesses since inception exceeds $5million. It is held in Asbury Park and surrounding area. The GSFF is a 501-c-3non--profit organization. For more information about the Garden State Film Festival, contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Choices Matter