LEWISBURG, W.Va. (WVDN) – Drugs — a word often seen in news reports. Frequently, terms like “arrest” or “death” also appear in those articles. There is tragedy, fear and many other negative emotions attached to that four-letter word. “Picture Proof,” a new documentary from Tijah Bumgarner, seeks to show another side of addiction.
“Picture Proof” follows the daily lives of a West Virginia family, Ashley Ellis, her daughter, Piper, and her mother, Debi. Ashley Ellis was the victim of substance use disorder, and the documentary chronicles the family as they try to rebuild. The film is scheduled for a screening at WVSOM’s Student Center at 6 p.m. on May 12.
According to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), opioid use disorder among young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 was 1.8% during 2017-2019. During the same timeframe, the national average was 1.0%.
Data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows West Virginia had the highest drug overdose death rates nationally in 2018. The report states West Virginia’s rate for that year was 51.5 per 100,000 standard population.
Sadly, Ashley Ellis lost her fight with addiction after filming concluded. Her mother, Debi Ellis, recently spoke about her daughter, the documentary and life with an addict. Debi Ellis met Bumgarner at an art show in Charleston. The two began talking about Bumgarner’s current project, which eventually became “Picture Proof.”
Debi Ellis noted that around 300 hours of footage was filmed during the process, and everything the viewer sees in the film happens in real time. There were no scripts, no coaching, no reshoots, she said.
Debi Ellis shared an anecdote, stating that only once during the entire process did they have to reshoot a moment. The reason? They were crossing the street and were almost hit by a vehicle. She said, “There was only one reshoot, and that was because we almost got hit by a car crossing the street. That’s at the very end of the movie; we had to redo that part. But other than that, everything that people will see or hear is real.”
With great emotion, Debi Ellis said her daughter wanted the film to give people hope. She stated that Ashley Ellis’ main goal was to try to save others from overdose and provide hope in terrible situations.
When asked to detail what she would say to someone watching this documentary, Debi Ellis said, “In reality, if they’re going to use, they’re going to use, and I would like them to always have someone with them, with Narcan, just in case.” She also implored listeners to avoid doing heroin or any other hard drug alone.
“We can’t tell them not to do it because that is a decision they have to make for themselves, and if they’ve chosen to continue on with addiction, then the next step down would be to just have somebody available to help and not die,” she said.
Speaking about Ashley, Debi Ellis said, “She did things that weren’t right, and she did things that were right, and she did more things right than wrong. She was such a lovely person.”
At the end of the day, Ashley and others who suffer from addiction are human and deserving of love and respect. Go watch “Picture Proof” at WVSOM on May 12 to see the struggles, the love and the heartbreak that comes with addiction. The film is at 6 p.m. Admission is free.
