Written by Aaron-Michael Fox.

Native West Virginian filmmaker Edward Mensore is back with a new film, “Hazard,” set in a small coal mining town in Appalachia.

In “Hazard,” a small Appalachian mining town is plagued by the ongoing opioid crisis. Will—a hesitant dealer—struggles to reunite his family despite their addictions. A local police officer and old high school friend is slowly closing in. As tensions escalate, does Will succumb to his own addiction or intervene to rescue his family before it’s too late?

For background on the film, the nation’s substance abuse crisis disproportionately impacts Appalachia, where overdose-related mortality rates for people ages 25–54 are over 70 percent higher than the rest of the country. The situation has also caused a huge spike in foster care and adoptions of the children of families impacted by addiction.

Appalachians struggling with substance abuse encounter additional barriers, including transportation, housing, access to care, education, and steady employment, making it even harder for those in recovery to connect with long-term recovery solutions and reenter the workforce and community. HAZARD’s filmmakers have partnered with HEALING APPALACHIA to assist with their efforts.

Mensore wrote and directed this piece, while British-born actor Alex Roe (Forever My Girl, Billy The Kid, Bone Lake) and Dave Davis (True Detective, The Big Short, Logan, The Walking Dead) are the leads. Sosie Bacon (Smile), Steven Ogg (Better Call Saul) and Kevin Sizemore (Mine 9) round out the cast.

The film opens in theaters worldwide from London to New Zealand on January 10, 2025. There will be a special screening followed by a Q&A with Roe, Davis, and Mensore at Marquee Cinemas in Pullman Square on January 14, 2025  at 7 p.m. Tickets are $11.75 and can be purchased at MarqueeCinemas.com.

Watch the trailer here: