Céline Roustan
In rural Central Ohio, deep in what is considered to be ground zero of the opioid epidemic in the US, Cody is in a drug court recovery program. Determined to leave the past behind, he has to find the strength to face the challenge of starting anew and staying clean. In Union County, writer/director Adam Meeks takes us to his home state with the aim of capturing both the beauty of its landscapes and an honest and hopeful perspective of the crisis now synonymous with the region.
Born and raised in Central Ohio, just like his parents, Meeks had a desire to portray the area’s physical and socioeconomic landscapes on screen and he knew that in doing so he couldn’t shy away from detailing the effect the opioid crisis has had on the community. After starting to research the topic, he found that “despite the overdose statistics and stigmas dominating the headlines, there were people getting better as well” and decided to focus his short on a more “hopeful” story.
“We combined both documentary and fiction processes with the intention of getting as close to the unaffected truth as possible”
The opioid crisis is hardly a new topic, and it has been depicted, quite compellingly, on-screen countless times through different narratives and perspectives. Yet, Meeks’ film manages to stand out, not only with the fact that it is a redemptive story but with his signature hybrid approach of blending fiction and documentary processes, which gives the film the most authentic and raw feeling.
“Union County was a film that needed to come from the people who were living it” – director Adam Meeks
“We combined both documentary and fiction processes with the intention of getting as close to the unaffected truth as possible”, the filmmaker explains when describing his process. From the pre-production stage, when he was trying to shape his narrative, he developed his project with a documentary lens, talking to members of the community, adamant about having their voices present in the film.
A young man he met in recovery shared that saying goodbye to his ex-girlfriend was the hardest part of his journey and Meeks formed his story around this insight. Eager to capture that truth realistically in his short, the filmmaker cast professional and non-professional actors and encouraged them to share their stories from the local community. Adding another layer of authenticity to the film, Meeks shared that he wasn’t afraid in trusting the instincts of his local cast and would happily “throw out the script” on occasion.
As Cody, Zachary Zamsky plays an essential role in the success of Union County
With no unnecessary dramatization, Meeks delivers an emotionally powerful film that never feels contrived. By simply showing the journey of his main character and capturing the good moments, along with the harder ones, he makes it very easy for the audience to empathize and root for Cody (beautifully portrayed by Zachary Zamsky). As we immerse ourselves in his story, we share the pride and joy in his accomplishments, but also absorb some of his sadness, as he comes to terms with the fact that he has to cut ties with the past to move forward.
Alternating the emotionally heavy journey of his character with beautiful and quiet shots of the environment where Cody lives alone, the filmmaker permeates his story with a sense of hope which allows the audience to easily digest the events and echoes the essential peace of mind Cody needed to focus on his road to recovery. Meeks is keen to point out that he’s “not so interested in contrived or manipulated stories of hope”, but there’s no need for him to clarify that, it’s evident from his unassuming, sincere filmmaking.
Union County had its world premiere in competition at the 70th Berlinale earlier this year. After a successful festival run, including a selection at the Palm Springs ShortFest, the film was featured on Le Cinéma Club before making its way to S/W. Meeks is currently in post-production on a short personal documentary, in addition to being in the writing stage of a feature based on Union County.