A Canberra organisation that smashes stigma attached to mental illness is calling on budding filmmakers to share their experiences with mental health.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This is My Brave Australia will host a national mental health film festival in Canberra later this year.
Festival director Tim Daly said the project would help break the stigma surrounding mental health.
“We want people to see other people talking about their experiences with mental illness and see that they are living fulfilling and productive lives," he said.
"[We want] people in the audience to say ‘I see myself in that story and that person has reached out for help, so maybe that is something I can do."
The festival will have a variety of categories for filmmakers to showcase their work, including youth (under 25), short films, LGBTQI, documentary and animation.
Panels and Q&A; sessions with filmmakers and health professionals will also be held.
Mr Daly’s drive to break down the stigma surrounding mental health comes from his own experience, he said.
"My experience in the workplace with mental health issues was very negative and that made me think that there is a huge stigma out there," he said.
"What I wanted to do was give something back."
Mr Daly said filmmakers, no matter their experience, should submit a film.
"Even though it is a film festival, it isn’t about the quality of the film, it’s about the story," he said.
The film festival will take place on the October 13.
The entry fee is $20 per film and 70 per cent of the profits will be donated to social inclusion organisation Reclink's Canberra programs.
Applications to This Is My Brave film festival close August 12. The festival is looking for sponsors. For more information about the festival or how to apply, visit thisismybraveaustralia.com/cmh-film-festival
