Following the suicide of her brother-in-law and overcoming a traumatic brain injury, Annmarie Aronoff was motivated to use her years of industry experience to create, produce and direct a passion project about PTSD she believes has international legs.

I Came Back, produced by Manitoba-based Collective Mind Entertainment, is a 45-minute docu-drama chronicling 29-year-old Glen Kirkland’s struggle with PTSD after he returns from a military tour in Afghanistan, with particular focus on the strength he finds during his eventual recovery. I Came Back also features commentary from PTSD expert Dr. Nicholas Carleton.

The docu-drama is currently available on MTS Video on Demand and SaskTel maxTV, and the producers are now developing the project as a longer series. I Came Back was commissioned by MTS TV Stories on Demand, and the producers hope to get another broadcaster on board to support a potential 13 x 60-minute series. The longer season would follow the real-life recovery of people suffering from other mental illnesses.

Aronoff, whose career includes stints at Portfolio Entertainment and Minds Eye International, said the increase of interest in mental health issues worldwide makes I Came Back and its potential series ripe for international sales. For example, she pointed to a newly launched programming block on U.S. net Discovery Life titled “Psych Week,” which showcased a full week of shows focused on mental health and psychology.

“[Discovery Networks] have expressed interest in I Came Back and its possibilities as a full series. We see it as a good fit alongside their other shows, but different enough to open up their audiences in a more positive way – an enlightened and uplifted way,” Aronoff told Playback Daily.

Thus far, Aronoff said the producers have secured sale leads in New Zealand, Australia and in a number of European territories for I Came Back, although no deals have been finalized. She said several Canadian terrestrial networks have also expressed interest in the project. In addition to shopping I Came Back as a standalone docu-drama and a series in development, the producers are also making it available as a format.

I Came Back is produced by Collective Mind Entertainment with Aronoff and Nate Bower serving as co-directors. Executive producers are Jane Lesiuk and Cam Bennett, with Aronoff, Chris Aronoff and Bower serving as producers. I Came Back was filmed in California, Manitoba, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The project received financial support from MTS TV, private investment and tax credits.