Mark StefanosNovember 17, 2025

A new feature documentary titled SOBER directed by Jefe Greenheart and William J Saunders, follows several individuals in Los Angeles who have rebuilt their lives after addiction, highlighting recovery as a process that extends far beyond abstinence. The film centers on The Phoenix, a nonprofit launched by Scott Strode, whose own path to sobriety grew into a nationwide network that now involves more than a million participants.

“I hope people walk away from SOBER with a new understanding of what recovery can look like,” Strode says. “Rather than isolating or restrictive, it can be full of joy, purpose, and possibility. When someone finds a community that believes in them, they can build a life richer than they ever imagined.”

Through personal narratives, the documentary shows how The Phoenix’s model — rooted in physical activity, peer support, and shared experience — has developed into a broad community movement. The film aims to highlight that what often begins as a private struggle can evolve into a collective effort, strengthened by people who help one another regain confidence and purpose.

*Still from “SOBER” (Courtesy of SOBER)*

“The SOBER film followed me during my first year of sobriety, a time that can feel shaky and uncertain for anyone new to recovery,” says Raelynn Franklin, a program participant. “I hope viewers see how cultivating community and rebuilding faith in yourself one goal at a time can create an amazing life filled with meaning.

“I started 2021 barely able to get out of bed. By the end of the year, I’d run my first marathon and found a community that supports and believes in me. The film SOBER captured the raw truth of my recovery: the heartbreak, the growth, and the milestones that shaped who I am today. I hope viewers see that it’s never too late to find people who will walk — or run — your recovery journey alongside you.”

By tracing these interconnected stories, SOBER aims to present recovery as a cycle in which regained strength is continually passed along, illustrating how individual acts of support can ripple outward to inspire wider change.

SOBER Director Jefe Greenheart had a moving experience in making the film — “Telling the stories of the people in SOBER reinforced something I’d already discovered in my own sobriety; that getting sober doesn’t dampen life, it brings deeper joy, connection, and purpose.”

SOBER is set to premiere in 2026. Watch the trailer here: