Documentary 'Recovery City' to screen free in Foxborough; film follows four women rebuilding life in recovery

Director Lisa Oliviveri and Recovery City participant Rebecca Zwicker appeared on Foxboro Cable Access to announce a free public screening and community Q&A of the feature documentary in Foxborough on Friday, June 12.

The screening, arranged in partnership with the town board of health, will be held at the Marilyn Rodman Performing Arts Center; doors open at 6 p.m. and the film begins at 7 p.m., followed by an audience Q&A and opportunities for private follow-up. The program is offered at no cost to encourage attendance because, the host said, the film addresses sensitive community issues around addiction and recovery.

Recovery City follows four women in Worcester over several years as they navigate life after active addiction and attempt to rebuild family and community ties. "I followed four women in various stages of recovery in Worcester for over four years," Oliviveri said on the program, describing an approach focused on long-term recovery rather than dramatic "intervention" scenes. The director said she aimed for a compassionate, empathetic portrayal that highlights how communities can support people who choose recovery.

One of the film's subjects, Rebecca Zwicker, described her own path and outreach work. Zwicker said she met Oliviveri early in the project and began filming several years into her recovery; she told viewers she had checked into detox "150 plus times" before sustaining recovery and that she now works with post-overdose outreach and previously partnered with a police officer named Janice in street outreach efforts. Zwicker and Oliviveri emphasized that street outreach often means responding in a brief, urgent window when someone is willing to seek help.

The film also profiles Christine, who the director said had children removed by the Department of Children and Families and whose story follows efforts to regain custody, and Bridget, who worked at a peer recovery center and facilitated support meetings. Oliviveri said the subjects' varied experiences—family reunification, peer recovery meetings, and police-led outreach—illustrate different community pathways to recovery.

A short trailer shown during the program included direct lines from subjects, including the affirmation, "Together, WE ARE STRONGER. RECOVERY is possible." After the trailer, the guests discussed how local public-safety partners and nonprofits fit into the outreach model, and Zwicker described how elements of her nonprofit work continue as statewide offerings even though she said a local program she led has ended.

Oliviveri also said the film's impact campaign included legislative outreach: she said the filmmakers worked with Representative David Lebuff (Worcester) on bill H3950, which she described as aimed at addressing issues for people with substance-use disorder who have DCF involvement. The bill number was presented as part of the film's broader advocacy efforts.

The host and guests encouraged attendance and noted that the Q&A is often the most important part of a screening for people seeking information or private conversation. The broadcast closed with credits to engineer Mike Weber and producer Jury Love and a reminder of the screening logistics and the free admission.

The event is sponsored by the town board of health and organized to provide both public viewing and a post-screening forum for questions and local resource connections.