RECOVERY CITY PRESS
“Local filmmaker Lisa Olivieri spent several years in Worcester following the progress of women recovering from addiction to drugs and alcohol. The result is this heartrending and uplifting account which intimately shares the subjects’ lives and engages you in their hardships, setbacks, and triumphs. Most had come from broken homes, with a history of abuse, domestic violence, and overdoses. Defying the odds, they have progressed in their recovery and have become valued contributors to their community.”
-The Arts Fuse - DocTalk: 10 Best Documentaries of 2024, December 2024
“Provincetown has a history of attracting cutting-edge artists and writers. For 26 years, PIFF has played that role within independent cinema, calling itself “the largest cultural event in lower Cape Cod” and drawing more than 10,000 annual filmgoers... PIFF excels as a showcase of New England and its talent, too. Massachusetts director Lisa Olivieri will premiere “Recovery City,” a documentary about Worcester women dealing with addiction and recovery.”
— WBUR, Erin Trahan, June, 2024
“In these troubled times one might heed the advice given in the Robert Frost poem “The Oven Bird” and learn to make the most of a diminished thing. This is one of the themes in several of the documentaries in this year’s Provincetown International Film Festival (June 12-16), beginning with Lisa Olivieri’s aptly titled, deeply affecting and inspiring Recovery City ”
— Arts Fuse, Peter Keough, June 2024
“For Olivieri, it was important to let these women share their own stories in a way that wasn’t exploitative. She also noted that the documentary doesn’t feature active use, something that’s not always common in films of this nature. She hopes audiences at the festival come away with not only a deeper understanding of addiction but of the hurdles that come with recovery.”
— Cape Cod Times, Frankie Rowlie, June 2024
“Recovery City is a moving narrative that highlights the power of community and the flaws in the state’s support systems. This feature documentary follows four people in Worcester, Massachusetts who have recovered from addiction and how it has impacted their lives. Six is a single parent trying to get custody of their four young children.1 Bridget runs a support group for recovering addicts. Janis and Rebecca are recovery coaches working in collaboration with the Worcester Police Department.”
