By Georgia Entertainment staff
Writer, director, and producer Aaron Strand sat down with Georgia Entertainment to discuss his micro-budget feature “Withdrawal,” a raw examination of addiction and codependency that follows a singer-songwriter and her rebellious boyfriend as they attempt to quit heroin cold turkey to avoid rehab. Shot entirely in Athens with a Georgia-based cast and crew, the film premiered to a sold-out crowd at the Atlanta Film Festival before winning 12 major awards on the festival circuit, including Best Narrative Feature at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival and Best Actress at Japan’s Kanazawa Film Festival, with Film Threat calling it “the best film about addiction since Requiem for a Dream.”
Can you tell us a little about your film and what inspired the story?
STRAND: The film is a raw and heartfelt story of two artistic lovers trapped by the opioid epidemic. While not an autobiographical story, it was inspired by my personal experience. I grew up in Georgia and battled addiction throughout my teens and early twenties. When I moved to New York to study acting at NYU, I completely lost control. It led to a lot of pain and chaos. In 2013 I had to move back home and get sober. That experience was humbling, but it’s also where I began writing as a way of making sense of what I had lived through.
It took nearly a decade of learning the craft of storytelling before I felt ready to make this film. If sobriety has taught me anything, it’s patience. Things rarely happen on our timeline. I’m deeply grateful to be here, alive, and to see this story resonate with so many people.
What were some of the biggest resources (locations, crew, community support) that
helped bring your film to life?
STRAND: We shot the film in my hometown of Athens, GA, and the community’s support was extraordinary. Nearly all of our locations were donated, which allowed us to weave in so many authentic elements of Athens, the live music, the downtown nightlife, the creative energy that defines the city. The story follows young artists wrestling with love, identity, and ambition – a struggle that has played out in Athens countless times – so it felt like the only place this film could live.
Our cast and crew were a passionate group of Georgia artists, all united by a shared vision of indie filmmaking. Alongside my producer, Jonathan Walls, and our AD, Scout Smith, I worked hard to take care of these incredible people, and over fifteen intense days of principal photography we truly became a family. When we reached out to the wider community, the response was just as powerful. We raised over $27k to complete post-production and celebrated with a sold-out world premiere at the Atlanta Film Festival. None of it would have been possible without that spirit of collaboration and support.
Did you find Georgia’s film ecosystem (from crew to post-production) supportive of indie projects?
STRAND: Georgia is home to an incredible community of artists who are not only talented but also genuinely passionate about independent storytelling. With a budget of just $60k, we had to lean heavily on those relationships and make sure we honored the people who believed in us. Making a film at this scale is never easy, and I do wish there were more funding and financing resources available within the state. But at the same time, I know this project couldn’t have been made anywhere else. That’s a testament to the generosity, creativity, and spirit of the artists who live and work here.
How has Georgia’s film community supported you, either during production or after the film’s release? Are there any opportunities for the industry to grow?
STRAND: We were fortunate to receive tremendous support from local institutions—the Athens Film Office, the Plaza and Tara Theatres, Videodrome, the Atlanta Film Festival, the Athens Film Festival, and the Atlanta Underground Film Festival. There are so many people here who are genuinely excited about the possibilities of independent storytelling, and as filmmakers, it’s on us to keep meeting that enthusiasm with work that is meaningful and well-crafted.
That said, it’s also true that many of Georgia’s independent filmmakers are struggling just to make ends meet. If we want the industry here to grow and remain sustainable over the next twenty to fifty years, we need to invest directly in Georgia-based artists. That means expanding grant and financing opportunities, incentivizing distributors to plant roots in the state, and making the tax credit more accessible, particularly to productions under $500k which are currently excluded. Opening that door to smaller films would do so much to support the next generation of storytellers and ensure that Georgia’s diverse and talented filmmakers would be able to live and work sustainably in this state – leading to more jobs and opportunities for local talent.
Looking ahead, what’s next for you? And do you plan to continue making films in Georgia?
STRAND: My wife and I are raising our two kids here in Georgia, so our roots run deep, and I’m excited to keep building my filmmaking career right here at home while also spreading the gospel of cinema culture.
That said, the path forward is uncertain. The distribution landscape for independent film has never been more challenging, and the old systems simply aren’t equipped to get great indie films into the hands of the audiences who would love them. With Withdrawal, we’re embracing new approaches: touring the film theatrically, partnering with addiction and recovery groups for impact screenings, and experimenting with creative online outreach. For me, this kind of innovation is the only way independent cinema becomes sustainable.
Looking ahead, I’m actively raising financing for several new features (all set to shoot in Georgia) with plans to begin production in 2026. At the same time, I host monthly screenings of classic films at the Plaza Theatre and Ciné, paired with my live film history podcast Behind the Slate. The goal of these events is to lower the barrier to classic cinema and create a space where our local film community can come together to celebrate the art form.
Upcoming Screenings:
Plaza Theatre, Atlanta, GA
January 30 – February 5
www.plazaatlanta.com
Ciné, Athens, GA
February 6 – February 12
www.athenscine.com
The Georgia Entertainment Indie Spotlight is a recurring feature dedicated to showcasing independent filmmakers with strong ties to Georgia. Through written Q&As, profiles, and other coverage, we aim to celebrate the creativity, resourcefulness, and impact of local filmmakers who are contributing to the state’s growing film ecosystem.
