Moral injury within the high-pressure, creative context of the film industry remains under-researched. Despite its prevalence, the causes, impacts, and recovery pathways for those affected are poorly understood. This presentation draws on findings from When the Camera Cuts: Investigating Moral Injury within the Film Industry in Aotearoa New Zealand (Denholm, 2023). Originally conducted as part of a Master of Chaplaincy and now expanded through current doctoral research, the study moves beyond the perceived glamour of filmmaking to examine the ethical and psychological challenges faced by screen industry professionals.
Drawing on interviews with a diverse cohort of filmmakers, the research highlights the toll of producing content involving extreme violence, explicit sexual material, sexual violence, and culturally insensitive themes. It further identifies an urgent need for culturally informed recovery mechanisms tailored to the film industry - a sector that lacks the support structures available in other high-risk professions.
The presentation introduces FilmChaplain, a pioneering on-location chaplaincy service developed in response to these findings, offering confidential, relational, and culturally grounded support for screen industry professionals. Positioned at the intersection of pastoral care, moral injury theory, and creative labour, FilmChaplain provides a practical model for early intervention and moral repair.
By situating moral injury within the lived realities of film production, this presentation offers a fresh interdisciplinary perspective and contributes to emerging conversations on prevention, care, and healing in non-traditional moral injury contexts.