THE NEXT CHAPTER, A WORLD PREMIERE DOCUMENTARY ON PSILOCYBIN-ASSISTED HEALING, COMES TO TORONTO JUNE 18

TORONTO, ON, May 20, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ — The Next Chapter is a documentary about healing, psilocybin-assisted therapy, and the search for meaning, relief, and renewal in the second half of life. On June 18, 2026, it will make its world premiere at The Royal Theatre on College Street in Toronto, followed by a live post-screening panel discussion and audience Q&A.

With significant federal grants, private philanthropy, and institutional research activity now supporting psychedelic-assisted therapy research across Canada, the national conversation has moved from the margins into serious clinical, scientific, and public focus. CBC has recently devoted multiple national broadcasts to psilocybin-assisted therapy, including the story of Pete “Pistol Pete” Pearson, whose end-of-life pursuit of access through Health Canada’s Special Access Program brought the issue to a broad Canadian audience. His son, Dr. Blake Pearson, who stood beside him through that journey, will appear on the June 18 panel.

Twelve days before the premiere, the Royal Ontario Museum opens its landmark Psychedelics: Art. Culture. Science. exhibition, underscoring just how timely this subject has become.

About the Film
The Next Chapter follows a group of people navigating the second half of life who refused to accept that their best days were behind them. Carrying the weight of depression, anxiety, grief, and long-unresolved pain, they stepped into the world of psilocybin-assisted therapy in search of something they had nearly stopped believing in: the possibility of healing. This is not a film about a treatment. It is a deeply personal story about courage, vulnerability, and what it means to begin again.

About the Filmmaker
Scott Paul Wright is a filmmaker, writer, and producer through Wise Rabbit Films whose work has consistently explored the human story behind larger subjects. With The Next Chapter, Wright turns to a topic that is also personal. He came to psilocybin through his own experience at 68, reflecting the life stage of many featured in the film, and will be in Toronto for the world premiere and post-screening panel.

The Post-Screening Panel
Following the screening, director Scott Paul Wright will join a live panel discussion and audience Q&A designed to extend the conversation beyond the film.

Dr. Joshua Rosenblat, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Staff Psychiatrist and Clinician-Researcher, UHN | Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Dr. Rosenblat is among Canada’s most cited psychiatric researchers, with more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and leadership of several federally funded psilocybin clinical trials at UHN. His work places him at the forefront of Canada’s evolving approach to depression, grief, and existential distress. Earlier this year, he contributed to the national conversation on emerging psychedelic therapies through CBC’s White Coat, Black Art and The Dose.

Dr. Blake Pearson, MD
Family Physician | Founder, Greenly Medical Consulting | Member, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario | American Board of Family Medicine Certified
Dr. Pearson is a practicing family physician specializing in cannabinoid-based and functional medicine, having treated thousands of patients across complex conditions including chronic pain, end-of-life care, and long-term care settings. He stood alongside his father, Pete Pearson, as the family navigated Health Canada’s Special Access Program in pursuit of psilocybin-assisted therapy, a journey that became the subject of national CBC coverage. He brings to the panel both the clinical perspective of a physician working at the frontier of emerging therapies and the lived experience of a son who fought for his father’s right to heal.

Rebecca Nicholson
Moderator | Health & Wellness Strategist | Psychedelic Sector Advisor
Rebecca Nicholson is a respected health and wellness strategist, community builder, and advocate working at the intersection of wellbeing, consciousness, and emerging psychedelic healing. She has collaborated with organizations across the wellness and psychedelic ecosystem, including retreats, therapeutic communities, and purpose-driven ventures, and is known for her ability to facilitate thoughtful, engaging conversations that connect science, lived experience, and the broader human story.

Community Partners
The Toronto world premiere is proudly supported by MAPS Canada, Psychedelic Association of Canada, TheraPsil, and Wake Network, four respected organizations helping shape Canada’s evolving psychedelic therapy and wellness landscape. Their presence reflects a growing ecosystem of advocates, practitioners, researchers, and public-interest voices committed to the future of healing and mental wellbeing.

From the Filmmaker
“I came to this subject through my own experience with psilocybin at 68. What I witnessed changed me deeply. This is a film about people who refused to give up.”
– Scott Paul Wright, Director, The Next Chapter

Screening Details
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Venue: The Royal Theatre, 608 College Street, Toronto
Doors Open: 6:00 PM
Screening: 7:00 PM
Post-Film Panel and Q&A: Immediately following screening
Tickets: $20
Eventbrite Toronto Tickets Eventbrite.

Media Contact
All media, interview, and feature requests should be directed to:
Michael Crane: Michael@thenextchapterfilm.com
Press Kit: www.thenextchapterfilm.com/press

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