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Breaking Free - A Woman's Journey to Recovery

A series of interviews chronicles a group of women experiencing equine therapy in Tucson, Arizona as a treatment for alcohol use and trauma juxtaposed against stories of healing modalities and community art reflecting the rich heritage and culture in a state that largely occupies lands taken from indigenous communities.

  • Lisa Whealy
    Director
    Sound of the Soul
  • Lisa Whealy
    Producer
    Death! Animated Short
  • Kim Forbes
    Key Cast
    "Narrator"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Breaking Free - A Woman's Journey to Recovery
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 33 seconds
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work
Director Biography - Lisa Whealy

Lisa Whealy is a visual social worker nearing the end of her academic journey at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. An award-winning producer and director, she is also the founder of the nonprofit Sound of Humanity Music Project, which is focused on elevating all art forms as the collective voice of our shared humanity in creating change that benefits us all.

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Director Statement

BREAKING FREE: A WOMAN’S JOURNEY TO RECOVERY  is a documentary that embraces my experience as a woman in recovery and the relationship with the stories that shape our journey. This film includes a dive into Tucson, Arizona’s vibrant public art.

Breaking Free as a film explores the potential for recovery and well-being through equine therapy, mindfulness practices, and the arts embracing cultural heritage in the community. Using AI technology to capture the life experience of healing trauma, the method highlights social connections in a post-pandemic world. Honoring the wisdom of our elders, the sound of our shared humanity becomes a symphony of change.

California has impacted my editor Michael Schultz and his wife through wildfires. and we support organizations like BACK TO BASICS, a group home that centers its mission on equine therapy and women's recovery outside of Santa Barbara, California.

“I’d used many different words to describe this new incarnation of what I once had viewed purely as a science. “Phenomenon.” “Disruption.” “Puzzle.” “Privilege.” “Force of nature.” But as I retraced my steps across the capital, one new word took precedence. AI was now a responsibility.”
This,” ― Fei-Fei Li,  The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI