Special documentary on chemsex journeys premieres in London

Impulse London is hosting screenings of "Chemtrail: The Journey," a poignant documentary examining the complex realities of chemsex in London, and the community is invited.

The doc creatively unfolds the personal stories of Ben, Pank, Declan, and Matthew, individuals navigating the challenges of chemsex and their pathways to support and recovery, with the screening part of Impulse London's ongoing commitment to address chemsex, focusing on advocacy, advice, and safety, especially for queer men in the city.

Impulse's initiatives have previously included impactful events such as "Chemtrail" and "Chemtrail: This is Killing Us" in 2024 and 2025, aimed at raising awareness and promoting harm reduction strategies.

The new documentary film deepens these discussions by incorporating first-hand narratives and storytelling, challenging stigma and showcasing that support is attainable.

The documentary has been directed and produced by LGBTQ+ filmmakers John Reavy and Jordi Estapé Montserrat, who collaborated with Impulse London to ensure an emotionally resonant and respectful portrayal of the stories being told.

Their work highlights the personal and emotional aspects of these journeys, underscoring the film's theme of hope and recovery.

'People at the heart of it all'

The team behind the documentary have been catching up with Hits Radio Pride, ahead of the special screenings this weekend.

John Reavey told us: "What we loved about the project proposal was how Impulse wanted it to be human-focused, and about the people at the heart of it all - which is what me and my fellow filmmaker Jordi are both so passionate about.

"We both know people who have been in this space, and we understand that it's a difficult and taboo subject, but that made us more interested in telling it, because it's something that hasn't really had much mainstream coverage.

"And what was really special was how the contributors in the film actually reached out to us to tell their stories, and I cannot applaud them enough, and that really is something that takes so much courage.

"Before we began, we thought we knew so much about it - but little did we actually know before we met these guys.

"Ultimately, they learned a lot about themselves, and Jordi and I have learnt so much more than we ever could have imagined.

"I don't think I'm very in touch with my emotions, but when I was with these people in the moment, I was completely out of my comfort zone, in some ways, and it was the perfect level to be for me so I could tell this responsibly."

'It was such an emotional shoot... it broke me'

It's not the first time John and his co-director Jordi have worked together, but the both of them have expressed just how much they've learnt about themselves - and each other.

They also had a unique opportunity to take a snapshot into the lives of those whose voices have been too often silenced by shame and stigma.

John explained: "The most exciting part of what we do is that we don't know what's coming, a lot of the time.

"We can plan so many things out, but until you have people sat down, speaking to you, in that moment, you can genuinely unearth the most fascinating things.

"What I keep saying about this shoot, is that it changed my life.

"As film-makers, we're used to planning every shot, scene, and script, but doing a shoot like this, you cannot predict what's going to come up, and genuinely, it was life-changing what we learned about the people - and ourselves - from doing it.

"For me, being able to almost try to place myself in the shoes of the people who we were speaking with was the highlight.

"I really enjoyed that we went to their homes, and the locations, where they participated in chemsex in, and the places they mentioned in their personal stories.

"We almost got an insight into their lives.

"When you read about someone, you can't always understand how something really got a grasp on someone's life, and this project almost transported us to a different world.

"The emotions that were coming through me in the moment... I've never felt anything like it."

Impulse London is hosting the screenings on November 7th and 8th, and it's something John told us he's feeling a mixture of emotions about.

He said: "I'm so buzzing - and feel a huge sense of responsibility.

"Some of these guys on the night will be watching the film for the very first time, and they have trusted us to tell their stories, they have trusted us to do it justice, and talk about a subject that's so important to them.

"There's a sense of pressure that comes with that, but I'm really confident in the film, and really excited to show it to the world and help impact other peoples' lives.

"It was such an emotional shoot.

"It broke me making it - and I'm so proud of it."

'The responsibility of telling their stories gave us a purpose'

The project's co-director and producer Jordi Estapé Montserrat has also been revealing what the shoot meant to him.

It comes as the team at Impulse London have been praising the pair for how they've been able to tell the complex stories of chemsex, and the people whose lives have been impacted.

They explore how chemsex has been described as 'the AIDS epidemic of the 21st century, as Jordi told us: added: "We really tried to approach the project from a human perspective, and it was a huge project, selecting different people to give to us their own unique experiences.

"It became a bit of a journey for them, as well, to have the chance to speak about what they've gone through - whilst the aim of it all is to help others, too.

"For me, the most fascinating part of the whole journey is how we embraced the responsibility to tell their stories.

"It gives a purpose to what you're doing, and makes your job very interesting.

"This project also made me realise that there's so many people out there who are looking for help, and also many more who are wanting to offer help to others.

"It was almost like a duality of realities, realising that life is just so very complex, and these two realisations really made an impact on me."

Using art to keep the conversations going

Alex Tridico, president of Impulse London, emphasised the importance of the film in understanding the personal journeys towards recovery, and said: "Over the past two years, our Chemtrail events have used art to continue conversations about chemsex in our community. This film takes that further.

"By listening to people's stories in their own words, we can better understand the different routes people took to find support and recovery, and we hope to make it easier for others to take that first step."

Following each screening, audiences will have the chance to engage in talks that explore critical themes, such as support, recovery options, and the varied experiences and pathways individuals may take.

These discussions aim to foster open and compassionate dialogues about chemsex and finding help.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to Controlling Chemsex and London Friend, two organisations dedicated to providing support and care for affected communities.

Impulse London operates as a community-led advocacy organisation working closely with gay and queer men to promote mental health awareness, substance use education, sexual health, and social justice.

It is an affinity group of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organisation, which provides medicine and advocacy to over 3.3 million people worldwide.

Support links are available on the Terrence Higgins Trust website.

You can find out more about Impulse London here.

Tickets for the showings are available online.

First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.