Still waiting for the leaves to turn colors, the crisp smell of fall in the air and all of the other yummy things that come with October? Me too.
Not waiting at all but kicking off the month was the NYC Mental Health Film Festival. Tastefully and thoughtfully put together by the sponsor, Community Access, this event was the 12th annual NYC Mental Health Film Festival, presenting a day of inspiring films about life with mental health concerns. The films depicted different ways individuals are affected by mental health concerns, as are the love ones who suffer with them.
Among the roster of films was “Boxed In,” which is the directorial debut of actress Tasha Smith. This powerful film tells the story of a young Black man in Brooklyn and the efforts of his mother and girlfriend to pull him back to reality when he experiences a terrifying manic episode. Secrets unfold as his mother reveals the truth about his lifelong struggles with bipolar disorder. This film aims to prompt honest conversations about the stigma of mental illness in urban communities. What makes “Boxed In” so dramatic is the surprising way people suffering from bipolar disorder live, interact with one another and often conceal the illness, which rears its head at the most unexpected moments. Watching laughter come after crying, sadness turn to joy and hope arise from despair touches the emotions of everyone, whether actively involved or just a mere bystander.
The other notable film, in its Manhattan debut, was “Mind/Game,” which chronicles WNBA star Chamique Holdsclaw’s battle with bipolar disorder. Holdsclaw expressed her feelings about being part of the festival. “I am so proud to show this film and share my story in my home state of New York at the NYC Mental Health Film Festival,” she said. “I am thrilled to be part of such an amazing event and to contribute to the important conversation surrounding mental health and stigma.”
As the oldest and largest mental health film festival in the United States, the NYC Mental Health Film Festival takes a bold stand in fighting the stigma people with mental illness often face. The festival has screened more than 50 films, attracted more than 5,000 audience members and served as a positive voice promoting social justice and human rights for people with mental health concerns.
Carla Rabinowitz, festival organizer at Community Access, said, “One in five people in the United States lives with mental illness, yet society continues to stigmatize mental health recipients as violent, weak or incapable, and in need of constant medication. This film festival shines a light on how mental health consumers and their families employ humor, courage and their natural gifts to make positive contributions, earn respect and counter preconceived ideas about mental illness.”
Below are brief synopses of some of the other films that were shown:
“#IAmHannah” (Kenya)—In Kenya, mental illness is considered a taboo, and people who suffer from it are subjected to harassment. This short documentary was made by Kenyan director Marianne Maasai about her mother’s experience of depression in Kenya.
“Crack Up” (Australia) —Mental illness is no laughing matter. Then again, sometimes it can be. “Crack Up” follows three Aussie hopefuls as they embark on a unique stand-up comedy training program, in which they seek to transform their experiences of mental illness into comedy gold.
“La Clave” (USA) —This film, set in Southern California, is based on the fictional story of Adriana, a young mother who, in the aftermath of her divorce, begins to develop symptoms of serious mental illness. The film was made to generate conversations in the Latino community as part of a broader project to help raise awareness of mental health concerns.
“Mental Illness Can Happen to Anyone” (Australia) —This short animated film is about a single mother of two children with autism. On the verge of a breakdown, Super Mom hides her emotional distress. The film hinges on the question of how we can remove stigma and allow Super Mom get the help she needs.
“Past Imperfect” (Australia) —This film is the story of an estranged brother and sister whose worlds collide one morning at their ill mother’s bedside. It is a story of love, forgiveness and hope.
“Ezra Dowery: Life on Broadway” (USA) —Meet Ezra Dowery, a hustler, a singer-songwriter and an amazing storyteller, who just happens to have mental illness. This documentary challenges stigma and conveys the message that people with mental illness are human beings with challenges, talents, hopes and dreams, just like everyone else.
Although I applauded the organizational efforts and sincerity with which Community Access dedicates its mission toward helping to promote awareness and find solutions, I did take issue with the film “Ezra Dowery.” Having grown up in the inner-city, I have known and continue to know many Ezras. It is easy to “label” them as mentally ill, but I see them as victims of society. Their lives began in poverty, they have had no formal education, no opportunities for learning, no job and no way out of the vicious circle that keeps so many people oppressed. When the last resort is to steal and rob for a living, they are thrown in jail, labeled psychotic and determined to have mental health issues. Wouldn’t you be crazy, too, if you had to live in a rat infested home with nothing while living in a glittering world of bling, bling and more bling, all just a fingertip beyond your reach? I would.
The film allows Ezra, a survivor of psychiatric incarceration, to speak. In my inner-city vernacular, he doesn’t sound like he has mental health issues. He sounds just like someone who comes from a certain time and circumstance and is a product of being a poor Black man in America, without a family or a home. Ezra’s “mental state,” is nowhere near those we see exhibited in the earlier films, yet he, too, is cast among or lumped in the crowd. As Ezra explains, with no viable alternatives, the streets became his parents. The day is his mother and the night is his father. He is not a mental health sufferer; he is a survivor. What the two have in common is the need for attention, care, understanding and an opportunity. Don’t we all?
Until next week … kisses.