The latest documentary in the Made Here series, Diane Tsai’s film Be Our Guest, profiles a family making a positive impact in Salem, New Hampshire.
The O’Learys, a family with four school-aged children, regularly open their home to strangers recovering from opioid addiction — a daring commitment that pushes both the family and their guests to face difficult decisions. Each year the children are asked if they want to continue to offer recovery in their own home, and it remains their decision.
In a 2021 interview with Women and Hollywood, the director detailed why she was drawn to this story: "When I first met the O’Leary family, I had a general sense of how they lived, but observing their everyday life in person shifted that understanding completely. I quickly realized that the O’Learys challenge a lot of preconceived notions one might have about letting complete strangers live in your home. It was evident how beneficial a warm family environment, with kids laughing and running around, could be to people in recovery, and I was very interested in seeing the long-term impact of this rare type of support."
"I was also very drawn to the kids — Brooklyn, Autumn, Jedayah, and Ronan — who displayed a maturity beyond their years and an openness to new people without judgement," Tsai continued. "I wanted to know how their unique childhood shaped their worldview. And when I envisioned them becoming teenagers, and later adults, I was curious whether their perspectives might shift over the years."
Be Our Guest premieres on Vermont Public's main TV channel at 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 8 and is available now on demand.
