NOTHING NEW TO SEE / YOU KNOW THE REST
As the horrors of the world seem only to become more and more distant and unimaginable to Paloma, a Los Angeles native and college-student studying at FIDM, she struggles to understand her place amongst her community that has now become seriously threatened. Meanwhile, Tawny, a seamstress and single mother, goes about her daily routine until both Tawny and Paloma find themselves crossing paths at a center for plant-based healing — resulting in, for both of them, a powerful wake-up call.
DOCU-FICTION | COMING SOON
WHY NOW?
RESEARCH IS UNDER FUNDED AND UNDER THREAT
The current administration in the US has proposed budget cuts to numerous health institutions, which will most severely impact the National Institutes of Health. Slashing the NIH’s budget will cause a trickle-down effect that will halt important research in numerous areas, from cancer, biomedical, pharmaceutical, to infectious disease. The magnitude of these cuts is unfathomable, and will impact countless existing studies and make new studies increasingly more difficult, if not impossible, to fund. These cuts will also impact research on the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelic compounds, which is already a precarious subject.
That said, budget cuts aren’t the only thing preventing psychedelic research. In 2023, the DEA proposed adding two hallucinogens to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act: 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC).
The official definition of a Schedule I substance is as follows: “A drug or other substance that has a high chance of being abused or causing addiction and has no FDA-approved medical use in the United States.”
DOI and DOC are both powerful hallucinogens which have been used in labs for decades and have no history of abuse. According to Students for Sensible Drug Policy, “DOI and DOC’s current status as unscheduled compounds has made them de facto tools for researchers studying serotonin receptors. They have featured in more than 900 research articles and show promise for pain management, combatting anxiety and depression, and preventing overdose.” A judge eventually sided with the DEA’s proposal to add DOI and DOC to schedule I, and effectively left their fate in the hands of the agency.
The official definition of a Schedule I substance is as follows: “A drug or other substance that has a high chance of being abused or causing addiction and has no FDA-approved medical use in the United States.”
The scheduling of these compounds would place them at the mercy of the DEA, which, under the Controlled Substances Act, has the power to restrict federal funding for any research that promotes the legalization of substances included in Schedule I. This is a dangerous place for these substances to be classified, as it heavily impedes upon their ability to be used in the context of clinical research.
The DEA is a historically militant, racist institution, with a history of discrimination both internally and externally. In March of 2025, the Justice Department reached a $12.6 million settlement with more than 400 Black DEA agents who were denied promotions during their tenure. The case was originally filed in 1977 – and only just reached a settlement nearly 50 years later.
The fact that this deeply corrupted institution is responsible for determining who is allowed to possess and research these substances should be a cause for concern. In addition to their potential for therapeutic application, several substances in Schedule I, primarily cannabis, mescaline, and psilocybin, have historically documented ceremonial use among indigenous groups.
OUR ROLE AS FILMMAKERS
We are not comfortable with the fact that these institutions of power have become the gatekeepers of ceremonially significant practices. We are deeply ashamed that these same racists institutions now have the power to tell indigenous groups how, when, and where to practice their own traditions. Additionally, the appropriation of these practices are of a real concern for those who are taking advantage of the legal status of these substances to create “retreats” that cater to the wealthy.
Ultimately, we do not accept the narratives that have caused millions to associate psychoactive substances with an image that has never represented their true meaning.
We are committed to retelling the story of the psychedelic experience in a way that counters the polarizing discourse surrounding them.
We believe this is a pivotal moment to do so, and that the fate of these substances should be a concern that is not gatekept by institutions of power.
