DRUG COUNSELORS SCREEN 'HAIRKUTT'

Alcohol and drug counselors and prevention practitioners in
Massachusetts will receive a private screening of the award-winning
documentary, "HairKutt," on Friday, Nov. 4, at 12:30 p.m. at the
Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. Filmmaker Curtis Elliot will
answer questions after the screening.

The screening is co-sponsored by Somerville Cares About Prevention, a
SAMHSA Drug-Free Communities coalition working to reduce substance
use/abuse and addiction in residents of Somerville, and the
Massachusetts Association of Addiction Recovery, which seeks to
organize recovering individuals, families and friends into a
collective voice to educate the public about the value of recovery
from alcohol and other addictions.

The 60-minute film follows four childhood friends from St. Louis,
Mo., who travel to the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee in the hopes of
curing one of them from his more-than-15-year heroin addiction. It
sheds light not only on the perils of drug addiction, specifically
heroin, but also how its use affects the families and friends of its abusers.

"HairKutt" refers to Bryant "HairKutt" Johnson, a $100-a-day heroin abuser.

Elliott documented HairKutt's entire five-day withdrawal experience -
from his last high to the severe vomiting and shaking that took place
in the days immediately after stopping his use of the drug. At one
point HairKutt became so delusional that he walked away from the
rented cabin in Tennessee to return to the streets of St. Louis (more
than a 10-hour drive away). HairKutt was eventually rushed to a rural
Tennessee hospital when his vomiting episodes become life
threatening. The story climaxes more than a year-and-a-half later
with a tell-all truth about the fateful trip to the hospital and the
outcome of his experience.

The handicapped-accessible Somerville Theater will screen the film
Monday through Friday at 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m.
and 11:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7
p.m., 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Tickets are $5; $3 for students and seniors.
Elliott will also host free morning screenings for area schools and
youth groups.

For more information about tickets, call the Somerville Theatre at 617-625-6600.