The Hotline

Short Documentary

With intimate access to people fighting addiction, The Hotline is a haunting yet deeply human portrait of the opioid crisis in America. Founded by Mike, after the overdose of a friend, the hotline “Never Use Alone” is an anonymous phone line that acts as a tether between life and death.

Cinematic snapshots reveal callers putting their lives in the hands of strangers during their most vulnerable moments, forming a collective narrative that transcends individual experience. What emerges is not just a document of a crisis, but of the quiet hope found in connection.

Opioid overdose is a national epidemic in the U.S. and a leading cause of death for people from 18 to 44. Drug use is often stigmatized, causing people to hide, lie and die alone. The Hotline is a story about listening. The film probes the dynamics of connection in the darkest moments and the power of empathy, showing us the quiet heroes working in the shadows to keep people breathing, one call at a time.