PR teams are framing this as a tender, honest exploration of mental health, emphasizing empathy and the bravery of first responders seeking unconventional help.
Insiders note that while the subject is heavy, the star power of Keough and Tweel signals Hollywood’s growing appetite for 'therapy-core' content. Kapelow, a suicide loss survivor and peer support facilitator, brings deep personal stakes to the narrative, blurring the line between documentary and drama.
The film is based on Kapelow’s NYT Op-Doc 'An Act of Service'. Keough’s quote: 'What moved me most... is the tenderness.' Tweel’s quote: 'Beautifully crafted... real sensitivity.' Production company: Long Holiday. Kapelow serves on the Ethical Reporting Advisory Committee for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Hollywood is betting big on psychedelic therapy narratives, and Riley Keough is leading the charge with a project that’s equal parts tearjerker and policy advocacy.
Stop scrolling, because the celebrity industrial complex has officially decided that psychedelic therapy is the next big thing, and Riley Keough is right there at the forefront. In a move that screams 'prestige drama with a cause,' Keough and director Clay Tweel have boarded Brandon Kapelow’s new documentary, “Under Fire,” as executive producers. The film follows Rob, a veteran Idaho fire captain living with PTSD who has spent decades responding to emergencies and saving other people.
It’s the kind of raw, human-interest story that awards season loves to eat up, especially when it comes packaged with the right celebrity seal of approval. The narrative isn’t just about the fire; it’s about the aftermath. As the toll of his work threatens his relationship with his teenage daughter, Rob turns to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to reclaim his life.
Kapelow explores a mental health crisis that has hit first responder communities particularly hard, as well as the complicated cultural attitudes surrounding seeking help in professions where resilience and self-reliance are deeply ingrained. Kapelow, making his directorial debut, adapted the film from his award-winning New York Times Op-Doc “An Act of Service.” The project is produced by Laurel Thomson for Long Holiday and is currently set to play at fall festivals as a title for acquisition.
With an impact campaign launching alongside it, this isn’t just a movie; it’s a movement. Keough, speaking through her production banner Felix Culpa, said the film’s “tenderness” moved her, noting that the experience of being the person everyone turns to while struggling yourself is something we can all relate to. Classic Riley, always finding the emotional core in the chaos.
But let’s look at the receipts, because this production is stacked. Besides Keough and Tweel (via Parkside Films), the executive producer list includes heavy hitters like Sacha Ben Harroche, Gina Gammell, and Reef Oldberg for Felix Culpa, as well as Shannon E. Riggs for Parkside and Andrew Hutcheson for Voyager.
Terry David Fine, Ronald Richardson and Emily Richardson round out the EPs. The film’s impact strategy is being led by Together Films with support from the Perspective Fund. Kapelow himself is no stranger to this space; he’s a suicide loss survivor from Wyoming and has served as a peer support facilitator with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, where he also sits on their Ethical Reporting Advisory Committee.
This personal background adds necessary depth to the project, as Kapelow stated that while there is optimism around destigmatizing mental health, outcomes in America are getting worse. He hopes the film will build empathy for those facing these challenges. Clay Tweel, known for his sharp eye in documentaries, backed Kapelow’s vision, praising the film’s “real sensitivity” and “beautifully crafted” visual storytelling.
Tweel noted that Parkside is honored to champion Kapelow’s voice, believing the film opens up meaningful conversations about family dynamics. Producer Laurel Thomson highlighted that psychedelic therapy is moving from the fringe into federal policy, but the people who need it most are often the hardest to reach. With CAA Media Finance representing the sales and worldwide rights available, “Under Fire” is poised to be a major acquisition target. The celebrity endorsement machine is fully operational, and this time, it’s for a cause that might actually change minds—and maybe even policy.
