Mental Health Warrior Film Festival
media release: The Mental Health Warrior Film Festival celebrates films that break down barriers regarding stigma to mental illness, showcasing the work of other mental health warriors. This year's lineup includes short film dramas, thrillers, comedies, suspense/mystery, foreign films and even a musical! The festival will close out with one feature length film.
Day Pass: $35 + Tax
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Afternoon Pass: $20 + Tax
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Evening Pass: $20 + Tax
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Block One: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
"I'm Perfectly Fine" Directed by Dario van Vree (30 Minutes): When illustrator Maya suffers a burnout, she is faced with her deepest fear: she can no longer be perfect. In a personal quest, through much trial and error, she learns how to be 'good enough' instead.
"It Stops with Me" Directed by Brian Prow (19 Minutes): A short documentary, following a young woman and mother who emerges from childhood trauma and addiction, finds resilience and forges a new life for her and her daughter.
"988" Directed by Mathilda Suissa (13 Minutes): A dedicated crisis hotline responder navigates her own internal struggles while assisting a caller.
"Doctor Time" Directed by Steve Grace, Jason Brown (17 Minutes): 15 year old Robin has a big imagination and dreams of being a hero. At school all he wants is to be liked and have his turn in the limelight. When will he have a chance to prove himself and show he is capable? After he is humiliated in front of his class, a chain of events unfold and Robin realises his true power, as the super hero Doctor Time.
Robin then steps into a parallel world and with the help of his super hero friends, Black Wolf and Sun Light, he stands up against his nemesis Evil Time who is determined to steal everyone's mind and take over the world.
Come on a quirky, colourful and fun adventure with Doctor Time and his gang, as they fight to stay in control, realise the power of their minds and save the day amidst a whirlwind of uncertainty and chaos! This is a wacky story of friendship, changing realities and the rise of teen misfits finally having their turn to be heroes.
Half the main cast of Doctor Time are youth with disabilities, including the protagonist played by a teen with Down syndrome. This truly is an opportunity for the unexpected heroes to shine.
"Over Medicated" Directed by Rose Movizzo (5 Minutes): A young woman battles with the consequences of her psychiatrist prescribing her excess medication.
Q & A 15 Minutes Break 15 Minutes
Block Two: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
"The Pen" Directed by Ethan McSweeny (25 Minutes): A woman succumbs to her obsessive-compulsive disorder when she finds an unfamiliar pen in her purse, featuring Nancy Anderson's Drama Desk-nominated performance in this short film of a one-woman musical by Dan Collins (book & lyrics) and Julianne Wick Davis (music).
"The Sound" Directed by Antony Petrou (15 Minutes): Beth lives a simple rural life with her parents on their secluded family farm. One day, out of nowhere, Beth’s fragile mother begins to hear a mystery sound that nobody else can hear. The Sound quickly becomes an overwhelming source of pain and frustration, driving Beth’s mother to the brink. Desperate to alleviate her mother's pain and suffering, Beth becomes obsessed with finding and stopping the mystery of The Sound….
"She's on the Run" Directed by Dylan Query (26 Minutes): A teenage girl tormented by severe anxiety, depression, and hallucinations, finds herself unable to manage her overwhelming emotions. Escaping into an 80s-inspired altered reality born from obsession, she becomes determined to end her life.
With a six-shooter tucked in her back pocket, she hurtles down this dark destructive path, searching for escape. The angels in her life desperately try to pull her back from the brink, but lurking in the shadows, a sinister beast relentlessly urges her onward, determined to ensure she completes her tragic quest.
"And Yesterday and Today and Tomorrow" Directed by Sophie Martinez (12 Minutes): A girl struggles to fit in at a mental health treatment facility after coming out of a major depressive episode that derails her life.
"Embrace Me" Directed by Megan Gladding, Angharad Gladding (11 Minutes): A young women is tasked to tap into her childhood trauma. When she is faced by her younger self, will she be able to embrace the pain of the past or will she continue to run away from it?
Q & A 15 Minutes
Block One Evening: 5:45 PM - 7:15 PM
"Anne" Directed by Lia Tasoudi (18 Minutes): In a high-pressure world, Riki navigates the complexities of anxiety alongside her steadfast friend Anne, where overwhelming expectations loom large. Together, they confront personal challenges, resilience, and embark on a quest for inner peace in a modern society that demands it all.
“Absent of Me” Directed by Erin McCluskey (24 Minutes): A short documentary that offers a look into the lives of nine individuals across five U.S. states and three countries who live with a little-known mental health condition known as depersonalization disorder. With expert insight from medical writer Jeffrey Abugel, audiences will gain a clearer understanding of this largely unknown and under-researched condition.
"Alice" Directed by Kamil Hardin (25 Minutes): Sergey recently lost his family and faith in the future, but artificial intelligence does not allow him to make a fatal mistake. Once in the loop, a smart speaker starts a dialogue with him. After disconnecting her from the network to complete what she started, the speaker continues to conduct a dialogue, as if she not only hears, but also sees what Sergei is going to do.
"Marble Me Free" Directed by Diane Leslie Kaufman (6 Minutes): How do we cope and what do we do when physical and emotional pain, obstacles, and hardship block our way forward? This "dark night of the soul" journey is powerfully depicted in the "Marble Me Free" animated film.
"Dear Pra" Directed by Nitin S Adsul (15 Minutes): Even as a family advances on the path to the American dream, landmines of mental health issues camouflaged by self-shame and social stigma threaten to tear them apart. Will love and soul-baring transparency give them the strength to rise beyond a devastating situation? A freshman Congressman’s heart wrenching tale shines an unflinching, yet caring light on an affliction that has upended the lives of millions of individuals and families in the US and around the world.
Q & A 15 Minutes Break 15 Minutes
Block Two Evening: 7:45 PM - 9:30 PM
"Good Side of Bad" Directed by Alethea Root (96 Minutes): When a young photographer has a severe mental break, her siblings come back together to help her heal.
Q & A 15 Minutes | Final Remarks | Close Festival
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