A Trip Elsewhere

Director's Statement

Years ago, after reading an article about a bipolar woman's transformative experience with psychedelics, my fascination with their potential for healing grew. This inspired the idea for a film exploring similar themes. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, I suddenly saw the perfect setting. It was a period of unprecedented isolation and uncertainty. Lives were upended, and our collective sense of reality was shaken. Not to mention, I was hearing about ayahuasca trips every week! Made with a tiny budget but big hearts, our film “A Trip Elsewhere” was inspired by the notion of shared dreams - the idea that in moments of profound crisis, our subconscious minds might bridge the gaps that separate us. My interest lied in exploring the psychological and emotional possibilities this concept presented. What might it mean to find redemption and connection through a dreamlike journey shared with others? Can shared experiences, even those bordering on the surreal, offer pathways to healing and transformation? My aim was to create an enjoyable film that was dreamlike, funny and sometimes unsettling. I want viewers to question the boundaries between the real and the imagined, the individual and the collective. We often speak of shared trauma, but what about shared transcendence? Ultimately, this is a film about the surprising ways in which we can find light, even in the most unlikely of places.