With Doug and the Slugs and Me, director Teresa Alfeld (The Rankin File: Legacy of a Radical, DOXA 2018 opening film) thrives once again in documenting the personal histories of Vancouverites who’ve managed to weave through the tough fabric of this city. This go-around, Alfeld constructs an intimate biography of legendary Vancouver musician and East Van dad Doug Bennett, who passed away in 2004 at the age of 52. Alfeld’s unique perspective as a childhood bestie of one of Doug’s daughters brings immense empathy to our understanding of both semi-public and private grief, and the effects of addiction and celebrity. A significant look at the enabling aspects of fame and excess, as well as a rumination on family, love, addiction and conflict, Doug And The Slugs And Me utilizes candid testimonies of the Slugs themselves to temper nostalgia for the band’s glory days with a nuanced look at the complexities of Doug’s life—from his formative early years to the bittersweet end. -JB

Please note: This film will not be available to stream online until after its theatrical screening. It will be available to stream starting May 14 at 8:00pm PST.