About The Film

In this contemporary psychological thriller, with the country devastatingly divided both politically and socially, and the United States on the brink of possible Civil War, things begin to further deteriorate when the perceptions of many seemingly “normal people” begin to change dramatically, causing  alterations in reality and behaviors that cannot be explained medically – perceptions so deadly and bizarre that modern science cannot begin to explain it.

Suicides, homicides and mass murders begin to increase at an alarming rate. Dr. Joseph Feretti, a renowned neurologist and his team begin to unravel what appears to be the root of these behaviors – rapid aging of the brain, which looks like dementia, which is spreading worldwide, but it is unclear how it’s being spread.

In the United States, those on the conservative fringe begin to falsely claim this disease is affecting only LGBTQ and African American individuals who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 – and this misinformation quickly becomes a hot political issue with some calling for these groups to be rounded up, quarantined and exterminated.

Political division is at its worst, and world leaders are in hiding. Our democracy has all but collapsed, with a fringe republic now in control! A man who claims to be from the future has been sent to convince Dr. Feretti’s son, Alex, that his father is key to finding the answer to this plague. Is it too late for this man to help us to save ourselves?

PERSPECTIVES

From the Screenwriter/Executive Producer:

These are indeed troubling times. As a clinical neuropsychologist for the past 20 years, I have become acutely aware of the increasing division among us, socially, emotionally as well as politically, which impacts us all. I am moved by the struggles we face, as well as the bitter and deep divisions between us, not only as Americans but universally, which I experienced in my clinical practice almost daily. As a society, we have rarely been as polarized as we are today, and I feel that one of the root causes of our polarization is the harsh rhetoric that characterizes our political leanings. From these experiences sprang the decision to write ALTERED PERCEPTIONS.

Studies over the past few years clearly illustrate the deep-seated divides and increasingly stark disagreements between us – this includes the economy, racial justice/injustices, law enforcement, climate change, international engagement, core “American” values, and a long list of other issues which we fear may lead to lasting harm to our democracy. ALTERED PERCEPTIONS delves into these issues contemporaneously.

Although American exceptionalism preceded the coronavirus outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic further revealed just how pervasive the divide in American society is at this time, with most of the country believing that we are more ideologically divided now than before the outbreak. Disagreements relating to scientific trust, COVID vaccinations, mask wearing, contract tracing, fake news, truth vs. opinion, and public and policy response to the crisis has surely changed our lives in many important ways.

But the United States is hardly the only country wrestling with deepening social fissures, which include not just politics and policies, but also cultural conflicts/adaptations, economic anxieties, and the rise in populist parties – creating intensified and common strains in our global economy and interconnectedness of world values and opportunities. The polarizing pressures of race/religion ideologies, the rhetoric of moral outrage, partisan media, societal tensions, power inequities/imbalances, long-standing cultural/historical divides, and social media alienation and a breakdown of trust appear to be worsening across the globe – and the solutions have eluded us.

ALTERED PERCEPTIONS is ultimately a love story, with an LGBTQ+ bent, but it is also a reflection of our universal and familial divisions. It is a story of the love between a father, Dr. Joseph Feretti, and his son, Alex, who struggles with his own demons and longs to find acceptance from his father – both of whom are affectively and politically divided. The issues that divide this father and son are likely the same issues that divide our own families, our country and our worldview – and it is clear that Dr. Feretti and his son live in “separate worlds.”

Wayne C. Dees, writer/executive producer

From the Director:

ALTERED PERCEPTIONS is a concept that is current and of great interest for today’s society.  The symbolic relevance  to the multitude of issues addressed in the many themes simultaneously weaved into the story is what attracted me to the concept of this film.  Mental health is an issue we see addressed and applied to situations throughout that are both affecting and in need of urgent attention.

Many issues have been brewing pre-pandemic with certain segments of the population
confronting the communal realities generated by leaders using realities to their advantage to skew perceptions and therefore control the outcome of a given situation. This is what I found most fascinating and at the heart of this film. Mixed in with two of my favorite genres, horror  and psychological, and you get a temperature rising pressure cooker.

Both horrors and thrillers have always served as platforms for political commentary, and ALTERED PERCEPTIONS is no exception.  On the surface, the film may seem to deal with some of the issues and potential causes for the rise in crime and why there is an increasing human disconnect that may be the one of the root triggers to these behaviors – may it be technology or other forces such as religion and politics, that pits us against each other, the result is a film that is both poignant and unfiltered in its pursuit to offer the viewer an alternative as to why we are where we are. In ALTERED PERCEPTIONS, we are forced to ponder and react to different circumstances based loosely based on today’s realities.

Probing the human mind and questioning belief systems and the reasons people do what they do, are themes that have always been of great intrigue and curiosity to me. We indoctrinate generations into believing both what the eye can easily see with other surrealistic filters to create a sense of purpose, a reason for living, and to generate ideologies that often times create a common good, but at other times can be very self-serving to those imparting those teachings.

The political climate of divide and conquer has reached new heights with leaders today who create circumstances and ideologies which can be involving and egregious if left unchecked. Both the pandemic and other supernatural aspects are used as elements to give the viewer insight into the multitude of issues the film looks to address while in itself encouraging an individual perspective from the narrative.

ALTERED PERCEPTIONS has been designed to give you an glimpse into many current issues that may be obvious to some and intriguing to others, but we hope this motion picture experience will offer an entertaining look into the absurdities of some realities while hopefully  inciting healthy discussion about our state of affairs.

THE UNUSUAL SET OF EVENTS THAT LEAD TO “ALTERED PERCEPTIONS”
Very rarely do films come together as seamlessly as ALTERED PERCEPTIONS. First, there was the reuniting of Wayne Dees and yours truly through my previous film “The Family Tree.” This film has yielded many opportunities as a result of winning more than 30 international film awards for both the film as well as for its cast and filmmakers.  For me, it reunited me with Wayne Dees who I have not seen in decades.  As life may have it, I hired Wayne as a publicist on one of my films, “California Myth” starring Tyrone Power Jr. – directed by Michelle Katz (RIP).

After losing touch, Wayne watched my latest film “The Family Tree” on Amazon Prime and contacted me. This lead to conversations about a script concept Wayne Dees had – ALTERED PERCEPTIONS. I found this concept to be most relevant to what was happening in the world, and I felt there was an urgency to tell the story of this film. To my pleasant surprise, this film came together rather quickly thanks in part for it happening at the right time with all the elements coming together.

Films are difficult to both package and finance.  Many films have the financial resources but are unable to find the right people, other films have the right people but are unable to secure the financing.  ALTERED PERCEPTIONS was a project that happened simultaneously. The right time allowed for the right talent to sign on and even though we were still in the middle of a pandemic with a virus constantly looming as an unseen threat, we were able to initiate and complete principal photography without a COVID case – the elements came together and “this story was meant to be told.”

Also, for me this was also a rewarding opportunity as in allowed me the opportunity to collaborate with many favorite celebrities of mine.   Additionally, our team was extremely dedicated in telling the story and making sure production went smoothly.  Many stars from my previous films returned, making this experience even more special.  Having a film with your favorites stars and working with actors from previous films is not something that usually happens WITH busy talent schedules.  I’m very grateful for everyone who gave their best to make this film possible.  This is a film most who watch will not soon forget.

Jorge Ameer/Director

From the Producer:

My professional experience as the Producer for this film was a challenging one. I have loved the Script since I read it. The fact that the Covid vaccination is making the elderly go bunkers, made it very interesting. Almost like having a double-apocalypse…

What I felt had a lot to grab my interest, is the perspective with American society in politics. The sad reality that the country is splitting in two, or feels like it.

My positive experience was working in tandem with the cast and crew, especially when we traveled to Texas together. Jorge was a crazy filmmaker who wanted to film everything everywhere, love that!  At the same time, working with the creative business mind of Wayne made me feel very welcome and with my feet on the ground. Filmmaking is a Yin Yang balance, we have to keep everything in equilibrium, and most importantly to tell an amazing story while doing all of it!

Mauricio Arrioja, Producer