The Other Side of the Hero documentary issues a challenge

Canadian actor Enrico Colantoni along with Heroes Are Human founder Vince Savoia and Peabody-award winning Canadian director Karen Shopsowitz have teamed up to make a feature documentary called “The Other Side of the Hero”. They've issued a challenge to all first responder associations and services across North America to #taketheherochallenge.

The challenge was conceived by Marco Ritacca, a firefighter with Vaughan Fire Service and Rescue in Ontario, who wanted to come up with a way to support the documentary and its Indiegogo campaign (http://igg.me/at/othersideofthehero/x/76521). With the full support of the Vaughan Professional Fire Fighters Association (VPFFA), a cheque for $1000 was given to "The Other Side of the Hero" and the challenge was on. 

Burlington Fire Service accepted, with another $1000, and have now issued the challenge to other associations and services across the country. 

"The Other Side of the Hero" will go into production in May 2015, and will plunge viewers into the world of the first responder; the camaraderie and dark humour back at the station and the flipside to all this: The depression, darkness and solitude that can happen when a hero discovers that they are not emotionally immune to all that happens in the course of a shift.

Vince Savoia, a former paramedic, quit his job after a traumatic call changed his life. He now runs the Heroes Are Human - Tema Conter Memorial Trust, an organization dedicated to working with first responders suffering from two little-known side effects of the job: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and at its worst, suicide.

Colantoni, who played a police officer on TV's Flashpoint is the spokersperson for the charity. 

Says Colantoni, “I think the biggest compliment we got for Flashpoint is how we really showed police officers in a vulnerable position, having an emotion, and suffering the consequences of a bad day,” said Colantoni. “I think that’s what people watching the show identified with. So why is it easier to see it on television, and not in real life?”

For Savoia, Colantoni, and Shopsowitz, that’s the question they hope to answer in the documentary. “When we sign up for the job, what we don’t know is what emotional toll this can take on you,” said Savoia “And I don’t think there’s anything that can ever prepare you for that.”

Savoia is quick to point out that not every first responder will be affected by PTSD, but the resources need to be in place to deal with them when they do need help.

Response to the campaign has been incredible, says Shopsowitz. The film got a huge boost  in early December, when the popular social media campaign #IVEGOTYOURBACK911 presented "The Other Side of the Hero" with a cheque for $20,000. The Indiegogo campaign is now aiming to raise money for its first stretch goal of $55,000. 

"This latest challenge is another way for first responders to get involved in supporting our documentary," says Shopsowitz. 

The Indiegogo campaign for "The Other Side of the Hero" offers several “perks” to individuals as well as organizations, at a wide range of prices, from coffee mugs and a heartfelt thank you, to breakfast made by Colantoni and Savoia, to VIP treatment at the annual gala for the Tema Conter Memorial Trust held on February 28th, 2015.

Executive producers are Stephanie Morgenstern and Mark Ellis (creators and producers of Flashpoint and the upcoming X Company).

The website for the challenge is: http://www.taketheherochallenge.com. The campaign can be reached at: http://igg.me/p/1015771/x/76521