HBO Original Documentary “Thoughts & Prayers” Debuts November 18 [VIDEO]

The HBO Original documentary THOUGHTS & PRAYERS, directed by Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock, debuts Tuesday, November 18 (9:00-10:25PM ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

This arresting yet sobering feature documentary captures the current landscape of safety rituals in schools and communities across America, where classrooms double as tactical training grounds, bullet-proof backpacks become armor, and conferences showcase the latest survival gadgets for a nation where mass shootings have become a part of everyday life. Equal parts absurd and unsettlingly real, the film traces the $3 billion active shooter preparedness industry and its effect on students and educators, raising important questions about the unintended consequences of these intense preparations. In the absence of meaningful prevention efforts and gun reform, how far will Americans go to prepare for active shooters?

THOUGHTS & PRAYERS shows schools and communities actively engaged in training sessions designed to respond to a mass shooting, from daycare centers to high schools to the wider world. Caregivers block doors with cribs, educators practice shooting at armed intruders in elaborate mock battles and VR simulations, and children learn how to fight back against attackers with everyday school objects or hide behind bullet-proof equipment disguised as ordinary classroom furniture. Some students play the role of victims in mock battles and test the first aid skills of responders, who may be their own classmates. Candid, revealing interviews with teachers, administrators, students, and parents speak to this new “normal” and how communities are taking the situation into their own hands, even if the effectiveness of such training is difficult to determine.

Featured Participants: Students, staff members, and administrators from school districts in Utah, Oregon, and New York; expert personnel in weapons, military, and video simulation training.

Credits: HBO Documentary Films presents THOUGHTS & PRAYERS, A Tony Tina Production. Directed and executive produced by Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock; producers, Gary Kout and Claire Read. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen; senior producer, Anna Klein.