Dipsomaniac

I began writing “dipsomaniac” to understand those around me who were suffering from alcoholism at a later stage in life as a result of an elite sports upbringing from a young age. Through my writing, research, and intense character study I was able to identify the inextricable link between elite sports performance and addiction.

Former elite athletes are at a much higher risk (as opposed to the general populous) of forming a substance addiction as a result of losing their “identity”. I have seen this in my own life and the lives of loved ones around me.

Sports celebrities such as Andre Agassi (crystal meth), Mike Tyson (alcohol, cocaine), and Michael Phelps (alcohol) can all attest to struggling with substance abuse after (and sometimes during) their elite sporting careers.

Dipsomaniac is an examination of the loss of identity and idolization as a result of a failed or interrupted sporting career.

I make films to create a deeper understanding of the many pitfalls in life. I do this in the hope of empathetically learning through these stories and characters to create a more rounded and educated understanding of the struggles people go through every day.

I'm hoping that the audience can come to the same understanding as I did in the editing room. Addiction is a disease, not a moral failing.

DIPSOMANIAC Was filmed, written, and produced in my home town of Adelaide, South Australia.