Independent Lens
The Opioid Trilogy, Episode 1: Brother
A filmmaker talks with her brother during his recovery from opioid use disorder, shedding light on the origins of his addiction and our broken rehabilitation system.
The Opioid Trilogy, Episode 3: Coming Home
This final segment of The Opioid Trilogy tells the story of Tahira Malik, who overcame opioid addiction and founded a rehabilitation space for women.
- Length
- 15 minutes
- Funding Initiative
- Short-Form Series and Special Projects
Director/Producer
Joanna Rudnick
Joanna Rudnick (she/her) is an Emmy Award-nominated director with a background in science and health storytelling. Her documentary In the Family (PBS|POV) was broadcast in over a dozen countries. She directed the animated short Brother (IL|PBS), On Beauty (Shorts TV), and an episode of duPont-Columbia Award-winning Hard Earned (Al Jazeera America).
Producer
Niema Jordan
Niema Jordan is an award-winning filmmaker from Oakland, California. She has a passion for character-driven stories and harnessing the power of media for positive community impact. She holds master’s degrees in journalism and public health. Her production credits include Oasis, The Chosen Life (NYT Op Docs) and The Me You Can’t See (AppleTV).
- Other ITVS Films
- The Opioid Trilogy, Episode 2: Do No Harm
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The Film
Coming Home, the final episode of The Opioid Trilogy, is an intimate conversation between a mother and daughter, Tahira Malik and Samia Harris. They discuss the effects of the opioid crisis on their family and what inspired Tahira to found Samad’s House, a sober living home that offers women resources to overcome addiction and thrive.
Milwaukee County in Wisconsin ranks tenth in overdose deaths in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Samad’s House sits in a Milwaukee neighborhood that is 90% Black and experiences a disproportionate number of these fatal overdoses. Tahira grew up in this area and became addicted to opioids, which she says caused her to lose her sense of self. After serving 13 months in prison for theft related to her addiction, she was released in 2013 and focused on reuniting with her three young children, who lived with her parents while she was incarcerated. With a felony on her record, she needed to find a new job to support her family. However, she dreamed of creating a space for women like herself who leave prison with nowhere to go. In 2020, she opened the doors to Samad’s House, which provides women with acceptance, shelter, and care. The home offers services ranging from counseling to budget management classes, equipping women with tools to manage sobriety, restore their family lives, and readjust to society.
