During his last months, Ben kept a video diary of his drug use and desperate attempts to come off heroin. Ravaged by the drug, Ben’s body began to break down: he developed DVT and his veins were rendered so useless he had to inject into his groin. Despite his family’s best efforts, Ben couldn’t stop. He was haunted by, and hooked on, heroin.
Ben: Diary of A Heroin Addict charts his lies and manipulation as he mixes his next hit whilst telling his mother Anne he is clean and making a new start. It reveals Annes anger and tears as Ben loses his fight against the drugs and shows how father Mikes unconditional love continues undiminished as they are forced to deal with their sons addiction.
Director Olly Lambert comments: It’s incredibly rare to come across such raw and unflinching footage of a man so close to an abyss. I was speechless when I first watched it. I hope the film finishes what Ben had begun: to give people a visceral understanding of the nature of addiction. It has been a privilege to try and unpick who Ben really was using the intimate legacy hes left behind.
“I hope to god you look at these videos and see what a mess I got myself into.” Ben Rogers.