Americans continue to brainstorm interesting new ways to experiment with the mind-altering properties of psychedelics. Some are more extreme than others.
Editors are currently putting the finishing touches on Dante: 500 Miles on Psychedelics, which makes its official premiere on Jul. 11 at the Ent Center for the Arts in Colorado Springs. The 90-minute documentary follows runner Dante Liberato as he tackles a gruelling 500-mile journey from Manitou Springs, Colorado, to Moab, Utah, while under the influence of LSD and psilocybin mushrooms.
Director Fernando Gonzalez of Suffer Films is leading the project. It is his first documentary film. He joined Liberato on the road with a small crew to capture the raw experience. The film explores themes of healing, resilience and transformation after personal setbacks. Saturday’s premiere will feature Q&A and meet-and-greet sessions with both men after the screening.
Liberato, a 27-year-old former cage fighter, lost his path to a UFC career after a ruptured quadricep in 2021. This injury triggered a spiral of personal struggles, including a toxic relationship and heavy drinking.
The mixed martial artist says he was able to overcome his problems with the help of MDMA-assisted therapy and other psychedelic drugs. Liberato explained that he had a profound experience in a 100-mile race two years ago when LSD acted like “rocket fuel,” helping him to finish among the top 10.
This experience was a significant inspiration for the upcoming documentary. He completed the latest long-distance trek in about 11 days in October while microdosing consistently.
Production of this controversial film faced significant hurdles. Major running brands withdrew sponsorship upon learning of the psychedelic element, forcing self-funding and community support. Gonzalez launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover essential costs including equipment rental, travel, legal fees, colour grading, audio engineering and post-production. The campaign has raised over US$20,000 toward a US$45,000 goal.
Liberato currently coaches at The Den, a mindfulness-focused MMA gym in Manitou Springs. He has also developed an app called “Couchmilk” to guide athletes combining their training with psilocybin. The American athlete aims to show that, with community support, people can achieve remarkable feats and overcome self-imposed limits.
“Humans are capable of anything if they have the right kind of support around them,” Liberato said this month.
Magic mushrooms are decriminalised for those over 21 in Colorado, and while the documentary proceeds under Colorado’s legal framework for psilocybin use, Liberato’s LSD consumption remains a federal crime under the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Schedule I classification.
Read more: Colorado psychedelic church moves out of basement into strip mall
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