A documentary
THE SHOKARI
A film by Michael Rossato-Bennett
Winter 2026-27
The film
The Film
THE SHOKARI is a new documentary from filmmaker Michael Rossato-Bennett, director of Alive Inside, which received the Sundance Audience Award for Best Documentary and was acquired by Netflix.
This film is an attempt to help Kamal Bherwani save the thousands of opioid naive kids like his son, who die unnecessarily every year of opioid poisoning.
The film investigates grief as a doorway to rewiring the self, the soul, and perhaps even the culture.
Premiere Winter 2026-27
Michael Rossato-Bennett
Director & Producer
Kamal Bherwani
Chairman & Co-Founder, ARMOUR Families
From the film
Stills
The people
Credits
A Michael Rossato-Bennett Film
Featuring
- Ethan Bherwani
- Kamal Bherwani
- Ava Bherwani
- Sabita Bherwani
- Sharon Bipa
- Andrea Thomas
- Kieth Warzecha
- James Harrington
- Valerie Pinhas PhD
- Jaime Puerta
- Adrienne Sautter
- Steve Filson
Camera
Michael Rossato-Bennett
Jordan Halland
Zack Paris
Editor
Michael Rossato-Bennett
Inno Rossato-Bennett
Tucker Capps
Music
Itaal Shur — Grammy-winning composer (“Smooth,” Alive Inside)
Actors
David Victor Rose
Inno Rossato-Bennett
Yash Pamar
Voice actors
Erik Krouse
Julia Faidly
With
Partners
ARMOUR Families
Lead partner
Works to prevent synthetic drug deaths and fentanyl poisoning.
armourfamilies.org
Facing Fentanyl
Frontline arm
A national movement against the most lethal threat our country has ever faced.
facingfentanyl.org
The Black Poster Project
Special thanks
Dawn Pizzolato, Project Director.
theblackposterproject.com
Further
Resources
Message from the Director
“Real Suffering, Nobly borne, Melts the Heart of Stone.”
“Grief is only love, with nowhere to go.”
“Human beings need to attach very deeply to survive. When we lose what we are attached to, our map of the world no longer makes sense. Revising our maps is so profound an endeavor it is felt as pain in the body. The modern world is in pain. We are struggling with the loss of something we were deeply attached to, that no longer exists. The Noble Grief asks us to face our suffering, and by so doing, melt the stone that formed around our heart to protect us. To Nobly Grieve is to find a place for love to go.”
Lead resource
ARMOUR Families
Works to prevent synthetic drug deaths and fentanyl poisoning — the lead partner behind this film and the first place to turn for support, education, and action.
Reimagine
Together, let's reimagine grief into growth, pain into purpose, and life's challenges into connection.
LetsReimagine.Org
Evermore — Grief & Bereavement Science
Losing a loved one is not simply a distressing mental health event. It threatens the lives, health, stability, and productivity of individuals, families, and communities.
Evermore.Org
What's Your Grief
A grief website for the rest of us.
WhatsYourGrief.com
Mary-Frances O'Connor, PhD
How do we cope with loss and grief?
MaryFrancesOConnor.Org
See the film
Screenings
Premiere Winter 2026-27.
To arrange a screening, contact THE SHOKARI at info@shokarya.org.
Or email info@shokarya.org. The address is info@shokarya.org — copy it if you have no mail app.
The work
Support the mission
ARMOUR Families works to prevent synthetic drug deaths and fentanyl poisoning — If THE SHOKARI moved you, stand with them.
Support the missionGet word of screenings and the film.
Or email info@shokarya.org