We are moving stories

“First of all, I like making hand-drawn animation—especially hand-drawn animation that expresses inner states, dreams, or perceptions that can’t be represented in other ways. Second, I’ve been bothered by these repetitive voices — the voices you hear in the movie — for some time now. So I guess I hoped that making the movie would help exorcise them! And, for me, at least, the act of drawing can be sort of calming.”

“I made Invasive Species as I wrestled with my own imposter syndrome and feelings of anxiety and self-doubt - panicked about “finding my own voice” and panicked about being seen as an “artist.” I found an absurdity and irony in this situation that I wanted to capture.”

“I think the film tells a unique story and gives you a window into someone else’s life in a very naturalistic way. More importantly, I would tell you to watch this film because it portrays mental illness as an everyday occurrence in a child’s life rather than the abrupt and dramatic episodes we are so used to seeing in films.”

“Our hope is that the film will make you re-examine the relationships in your own family and remind you of the care and nuance that goes into those relationships.”

“This film was an accumulation of years at film school, being overshadowed by our male peers and being told we didn’t have stories worth telling. I remember sitting with Meg and making a deal: that we were going to make a film with all female head of departments, and tell a story that reflected the strong women and sisters in our lives.”

“I made Beware of Dog for people who struggle with mental conditions, especially obsessive-compulsive disorder. For those who are solitary in big cities surrounded by millions. I wanted to make a generational portrait fulfilled with anxiety in the era of social media madness – for everyone who can relate to.”

“Mental health, trauma, and recovery have been an ongoing matter since…forever. Each year, more than 40% of the population are affected by a mental health disorder or experience a traumatic event such as sexual assault. I grew up around a lot of trauma, something that took me years to recognize, and accept that what had happened, ‘happened’. I suppose that explains a lot of my passion for bringing awareness to mental health, trauma, and the recovery process as one is always healing from either one. And that is okay – it is okay to be okay, or okay to not be okay.”

“I made this film because I wanted to reach people with borderline personality disorder (bpd) who are alone, confused, and looking for hope and validation. I am a psychologist who works with bpd and have people with bpd in my personal life. People with bpd are extremely stigmatized and misunderstood. There are little to no films on understanding bpd through the eyes of someone with this experience. The other goal of the film was for the audience to better understand their loved ones.”

“I’ve known the subject of the documentary, Paul Cooper, for 15 years and I’ve always loved Tubby the Robot. Because Paul and I have been friends for so long and he’s a creative person, he was the perfect collaborative partner to work with me on this project. Mental health is also really important to me so it’s a story that I was driven to tell.”

“Every 40 seconds, someone dies by suicide. I wanted to use this film to push beyond the isolating silence of suicide loss and offer a different narrative for how we can respond to this most shocking of actions, and why we must do so.”

“Gabby and I are both people who struggle with being emotionally vulnerable and open. We deflect and use humour to mask pain. I needed a way to to bridge a conversation between Gabby and I so that we could process what she had gone through. As a filmmaker, I didn’t know how else to help, so I used documentary as a vehicle for her and I to have a conversation, and to help her get back into therapy, knowing it was something she was struggling to do. The process of making the documentary was also therapeutic for Gabby as it forced her to reflect and talk about things she tried to bury. ”

“I was inspired by my daughter’s journey into addiction, eating disorder and her recovery. It was originally a cleansing process and soon turned into a short film. I’m of South Asian background - my children are mixed-race. When I was looking for resources for my daughter, there was virtually nothing out there for young women of color. She would typically be the only female of color in therapy groups...”

“Our Q&As have resulted in many hugs and tears from both audience members who have little familiarity with the subject matter and those for whom it is all too real. My favorite thing about making this film by far has been coming to understand the audience’s reaction to the film. To watch viewers walk away discussing the very things at the heart of the movie that made me want to make it in the first place is certainly the most rewarding.”

“My goal is to have as many people as possible see Wolfe. The more people it has the potential to help, or provide insight to, the better.”

“I made Fog to illustrate the cruel catch-22 that schizophrenia can be for some people. On the one hand, taking medication can dull the senses of the sufferer to a great extent and imprison him/her inside a debilitating mental fog. On the other hand, not taking medication is not a viable option either, as the person is likely unable to function and can even become a danger to himself/herself and to others. In other words, in some cases, there is no right solution, and only very bad ones. Fog explores this merciless reality for both the sufferer and their loved ones.”

“This is a very personal film for both Deborah and I. Depression, anxiety, and OCD have been a part of my life for fifteen years. I know I’m not alone in that, and any time I have shared that, it has resonated with others. As artists, of course, you want to express your experience of the world. Where possible, I also hope to help people with my work as well.”

“BLUE was created as a form of therapy. I had been struggling with depression for a number of years and my therapist had been encouraging me to find a creative outlet for it. As I began the road to managing my depression, the idea for BLUE began to materialize and with the help of some very supportive friends the film was made into what you see today.”

“We all have mental health and some people are less well than others. We all know, live, love and work with people affected by mental ill-health. It is a global issue and I know from experience, that talking about our wellbeing can strengthen friendships, aid recovery, break down stereotypes and drain the taboo from something that affects everyone. I’m also aware that it saves lives.”

“REUBEN: I would like our audience to walk away thinking about and discussing the themes of mental health, honesty, courage, and truth. Hopefully, we can inspire other people to go out and make films.”

“It is an authentic look inside the mind of someone with OCD. People with OCD are flooded with intrusive and obsessive thoughts that vary in subject e.g. sex, germs, religion, etc., all of which are rooted in uncertainty. These thoughts cause distress, so they engage in compulsive behaviors/rituals to decrease this distress. I want to portray the full scope of what it means to have OCD, because in film and TV, a character’s “compulsions” are often used to make them quirky for comedic effect.”

“It’s an insight into 1970’s Australia dealing with Non-English speaking migrants with mental health issues and how difficult it was for Doctor and patient to communicate. As an audience we enter the world of Michael as a child who has the heavy burden of translating his mother’s most inner darkest thoughts to the Doctor, while she struggles with her clinical depression.

The mental health industry in that time was at a different place, epitomising an overly bureaucratic, impersonal and almost adversarial approach.”

“I want to make people laugh uncomfortably and then cry.”

“You are sitting in your comfy theater seat while throwing back freshly popped popcorn and sipping on your favorite tasty beverage. You came to the movies to be entertained, to laugh, to cry, to escape, to feel, to learn something, to be inspired. Over the course of 15 minutes & 36 seconds, “Welcome to Where You’ve Always Been” will take you on a journey through all of those. This film is raw, edgy, dark, and hopeful all at the same time. I think you will like it.”

“It’s a story that anyone will be able to relate to on some level. Everybody’s life is affected by depression in some way, and we all have our own view towards it and how it should be ‘dealt with’ – Limited Time Only looks at the common social views and reactions that people take to mental health, and asks us to take a step back and reconsider their implications. On top of that, it’s a fun, fast-paced and moving short film with some fascinating characters played by an outstanding cast.”

“I would love for this film to inspire anyone going through a hard time to trust the quiet strength inside of them, whether it’s a kid in school or an adult dealing with depression. Like a beacon of hope.”

“Something we wanted to be very cognizant of while putting Alpha Mare together was to share Karin’s personal story of mental health in a powerful way, but without being prescriptive. We set out to tell a universal story about self-acceptance and finding incredible strength in your passions.”