Aaron Bacon, Dir. by Nick Gaglia

Recently finished wrapping up the film Aaron Bacon directed and written by Nick Gaglia.

• The poignant story based on his experience in a cult-like rehab. This film exposes corrupt rehabilitation centers which prey upon vulnerable teens and their parents and are still widespread throughout the world.

Aaron Bacon's journey to North Star began in Phoenix, where his parents had watched him spiral downward into regular drug use, with slipping grades, conflicts with gang members and bouts of depression. He smoked marijuana daily, and experimented with LSD, speed and hallucinogenic mushrooms. Aaron promised to quit drugs if he would be allowed to switch from private to public school, and his parents agreed. But when his grades and attitude continued to plummet, his parents showed him a brochure for a wilderness camp run by North Star. He tore it up in their faces.

Critics call them "hell camps;" satisfied parents call them the best thing that ever happened to their son or daughter. Companies take rebellious kids aged 12 to 18 into the backcountry for several weeks, teach them how to live off the land, and overcome their bad habits and bad attitudes. The assumption is, they then go home to Mom and Dad as responsible young adults.