Making a film is hard enough. Shooting it while in rehab poses another set of immense challenges. In Clean Slate, director Jared Callahan explores the creative process and whether or not two addicts, Cassidy Detmer and Joshua Litton, can complete their short without relapsing. This isn’t a documentary concerned with leading toward a happy ending. Rather, it’s an honest portrayal of addiction, including the repercussions it has on family and friends.

When the film opens, Cassidy and Joshua are in a zero-tolerance, 18-month recovery program under the care of A Better Way Ministries. They’re given film equipment and charged with making commercials and graduation videos for the program. The two bond over their love of cinema and plan to shoot a short together, “On the Fence,” about addiction and recovery. However, Cassidy relapses and leaves the program. This creates more challenges because he can’t meet with the other crew members in person for various script readings and planning sessions. Instead, he listens in on his flip phone, often while the reception cuts in and out.

The documentary splits its time between highlighting the challenges of filmmaking and the struggle to stay clean. For instance, the crew only has enough of a budget to shoot for about two days, but there’s the constant threat of rain looming over the production. What happens if they need to cancel because they can’t shoot? Meanwhile, Cassidy’s family hardly knows him because he’s floated in and out of rehab programs for so long. Joshua’s wife left him because of his drug problem. And if he doesn’t finish the program, he’ll face jail time. There are interviews with other addicts, too, and all of this makes clear the consequences of addiction not only on the users but also on those closest to them. The stakes here feel very high and very real. You want these folks to conquer their demons, especially after hearing their personal stories.

Despite everything, there are some moments of joy both Kassidy and Joshua experience, including seeing their short play at the Atlanta Film Festival. This is a real triumph, considering the major challenges the production faced with the weather and limited resources. That’s juxtaposed with the reality of the situation, however. When Kassidy’s mom is asked if making movies will keep her son away from drugs, she says no and adds that he self-sabotages.

Overall, Clean Slate is a gripping and emotional look at the creative process and addiction. It never sugarcoats or glosses over the repercussions of substance abuse, including the impact it has on family and friends. You want Cassidy and Joshua to overcome their struggles, but Callahan is real about the challenges they face, including once they finish their short. Still, this documentary is a beautiful testament to the creative process and the willingness of a team to come together and finish a project. Those victories are worth celebrating.

7.5 Out of 10