"Tough Pills" Documentary Sheds Light on BC-Born UFC Fighter’s Mental Health Battle
"Tough Pills" Documentary Sheds Light on BC-Born UFC Fighter’s Mental Health Battle
The Story of MMA Underdog, Tristan Connelly
“Tough Pills” - a Tristan Connelly Story, Premiered on September 10 at 12pm PST on YouTube
Watch the Official ‘Tough Pills’ Trailer
Getting the shot to make his UFC debut back in 2019 was a dream come true for BC-born MMA fighter, Tristan Connelly. Making this debut in front of his hometown crowd at the Rogers Center in Vancouver was just icing on the cake. In an unlikely “David versus Goliath” themed matchup vs. Michel Pereira, Connelly walked away the victor as the biggest underdog on the entire card. He didn’t just walk away with a win in his first UFC bout, but also a respectable “Fight of the Night” credit and a nice bonus paycheque in his pocket. From all angles, things were looking nothing but bright for the fighter. And, to him, he felt it was “just the beginning”...
But it wasn’t long before things took a turn for the worse
Gabe Roy’s new documentary, “Tough Pills” chronicles the unlikely journey that followed shortly after this highlight night. From the onset of a global pandemic, and as brand new parents, Tristan and his wife experienced a series of unfortunate events that plagued the Connelly household in ways they couldn’t have imagined.
For a man who earns his living in hand-to-hand combat, it may come as a surprise that he has been fighting his own mental battle internally. Stemming from an injury due to a car accident in 2019, Tristan’s world would be changed forever.
Tristan shown holding his daughter during a scene in the “Tough Pills” documentary
“What you think and you feel is your entire universe. So, my entire universe has been changed” - Tristan Connelly
This 30-minute documentary film offers perspective on the serious implications of prescription opioids and the impact they can have on any unsuspecting person’s life. Invasive surgeries, injuries, bloody battles, and intense training have all been part of a regiment that Tristan knew well, but it was the aftermath of a prescribed opioid that had the biggest impact.
Tristan truly is a humble hero - an underdog we can all cheer for and it may come as a surprise to those around him that he was battling these demons in silence. This film aims to humanize his story and act as a call-to-action for any viewer who may find themselves silently struggling with their own mental health to seek help.
Tristan Connelly still frame from ‘Tough Pills’ Documentary after a hard session of sparring.
Our role in the production
Zest Media Productions is the presenting production company behind the “Tough Pills” documentary film. We’re a full-service video production company in Vancouver, BC with several years of experience producing docu-style video projects, commercials for brands, live performances, and more.
We work with ambitious, talented filmmakers to bring our client’s stories to life. Whether it be a production in the corporate landscape, TV production, or a bootstrapped indie documentary film, our goal is to allocate the resources we’re given to produce an engaging, impactful product for our clients and their audiences.