HBO Original documentary Thoughts & Prayers debuts 19 November

The HBO Original documentary Thoughts & Prayers, directed by Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock, debuts Wednesday 19 November, only on HBO Max.

This arresting yet sobering feature documentary captures the current landscape of safety rituals in schools and communities across America, where classrooms double as tactical training grounds and bullet-proof backpacks become armour. Thoughts & Prayers also explores the conferences that showcase the latest survival gadgets for a nation where mass shootings have become a part of everyday life.

Equal parts absurd and unsettlingly real, the film traces the US$3 billion active shooter preparedness industry and its effect on students and educators, raising important questions about the unintended consequences of these intense preparations. In the absence of meaningful prevention efforts and gun reform, how far will Americans go to prepare for active shooters?