John John Mossman - Director's Statement

“Families have always had their challenges. Teenagers will rebel. Parents will split. Loved ones will die. Together we worked through the problems and the grief. But the new political landscape has driven a steel wedge between loved ones and the issues that families have dealt with for decades are now magnified by politicians and a media eager to profit – the result being an inability to connect with some of the most important people in our lives. A type of jet fuel being added to this fire is the emotionally charged issue of guns, which combined with stoked elements of masculinity, fear and frustration,  has created an explosive new cocktail pouring through the veins of our nation; one that unfortunately shows no sign of abating as we witness the continued radicalization of young men and the polarizing nature of the gun debate. Despite the blowback they might face, many responsible gun owners are ready to acknowledge the sickness of gun worship and the fallacy of the apocalyptic "Good guy with a Gun" worldview that has gained so much traction of late. With this film I hope to explore the danger and at times the appeal of going down this path, and the extraordinary difficulty of turning back - and ultimately the enduring power of family to see us through dark times.”