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Mental Illness and Disabilities (43)
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Here At Home: EvictedManfred Becker 2012 4 minOn the verge of being evicted, Theresa heads out to work panhandling on a familiar patch of concrete in downtown Toronto. Confiding in her caseworker, Bouchra, Theresa blames herself for her eviction and delivers a startling revelation.
This short film is a chapter from Here At Home, a web documentary about mental health and homelessness that takes us inside the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home pilot project. -
Animal BehaviourAlison Snowden & David Fine 2018 14 minDealing with what comes naturally isn’t easy, especially for animals.
In Animal Behaviour, the latest animated short from the Oscar®-winning team of Alison Snowden and David Fine (Bob’s Birthday), five animals meet regularly to discuss their inner angst in a group therapy session led by Dr. Clement, a canine psychotherapist. The group includes Lorraine, a leech who suffers from separation anxiety; Cheryl, a praying mantis who can’t seem to keep a man; Todd, a pig with an eating disorder; Jeffrey, a bird with guilt issues; and Linda, an obsessive-compulsive cat. -
Here At Home: Not ChosenSarah Fortin 2012 2 minFor every housed participant, another remains homeless. Wandering the empty corridors of his shelter, Valère reveals his struggle with HIV/AIDS, and his longing for a home of his own.
This short film is a chapter from Here At Home, a web documentary about mental health and homelessness that takes us inside the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home pilot project. -
Here at Home: Honestly PainfulManfred Becker 2012 3 minHaunted by visions of his father, Mark thought he’d won the jackpot when he discovered he was going to be housed. But now, safe and secure in his apartment, he’s overwhelmed by a new fear – will he lose his home when the study ends?
This short film is a chapter from Here At Home, a web documentary about mental health and homelessness that takes us inside the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home pilot project. -
Here At Home: Life Isn't EasySarah Fortin 2012 5 minCovering everything from bug bites to welding to drug use, Dr. Plante counsels participants with a mixture of tough love and compassion in this glimpse of her at work.
This short film is a chapter from Here At Home, a web documentary about mental health and homelessness that takes us inside the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home pilot project. -
All About Kids1964 8 minThis vintage short doc from the sixties brings together three quaint vignettes about Canadian childhood. In Quebec Aquarium, school children see marine life at close range, while Children's Play Therapy focuses on the importance of games and handicrafts for young patients recovering at Winnipeg’s Children’s Hospital. Finally, Soccer School takes us to British Columbia, where British coach Trevor Churchill is helping to spark interest in the increasingly popular sport.
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Here At Home: Will to liveLouiselle Noël 2012 2 minAfter years on the edge, Hector now has a place to live, a job and a beloved dog. Shuttling farm hands to work, he remembers the life he lost and worries about his homeless son.
This short film is a chapter from Here At Home, a web documentary about mental health and homelessness that takes us inside the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home pilot project. -
Here At Home: Where I BelongLouiselle Noël 2012 3 minLise has been living with schizophrenia for years, some of them spent in dangerous housing conditions. Now she’s selling her paintings in a Moncton marketplace and celebrating her new home.
This short film is a chapter from Here At Home, a web documentary about mental health and homelessness that takes us inside the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home pilot project. -
Am I the skinniest person you’ve ever seen?Eisha Marjara 2024 24 minWARNING: This film contains imagery of anorexia and eating disorders that may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. “Hey, let’s go on a diet together.” As kids in a small Quebec town, Eisha and Seema were more than sisters, they were soul mates, and a joint diet offered a shared sense of purpose. But their carefree project would take a dark turn, pushing Eisha to the very brink of death. Consumed by anorexia, she found herself battling her own fragile body—stranded between childhood and adulthood. Decades later, she revisits her past in an exquisitely crafted work of auto-ethnography, evoking her unusual youth with aching lyricism. In addressing a tender love letter to the troubled girl she once was, she reaches contemporary audiences with a timely reflection on body image and self-acceptance.
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Back into the SunFergus McDonell 1956 29 minAn illustration of the rather unique way in which the day hospital of the Allan Memorial Institute in Montréal helps patients back to mental and emotional health. Patients not requiring full hospitalization come for daytime treatment and return to their homes at night. The case presented is that of a young woman who is under severe emotional stress. Interviews with a psychiatrist and group therapy sessions reveal the root of her trouble and set her on the path to overcoming her problem.
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Beyond the Blues: Child and Youth DepressionMaureen Palmer 2004 56 minStatistics reveal that depression in children and youth is on the rise. In fact, it has increased by one-third in the past 30 years. Untreated depression costs a teenager in many ways: lost eductional opportunities, lost social opportunities and lost time.
Through the personal stories of three young people, this compelling documentary traces the journey of depression, from early signs and symptoms, to assessment, diagnosis and treatment. The documentary also helps shatter some stereotypes.
This powerful 3-part series on child and youth mental health sheds light on the current situation and offers practical tools to understanding the problems and knowing where to find solutions. Depressed kids don't just have a bad attitude--they have an illness. And the illness is treatable.
The two other titles in the series are Fighting their Fears: Child and Youth Anxiety and A Map of the Mind Fields: Managing Adolescent Psychosis. -
BreakdownRobert Anderson 1951 42 minThe story of a young woman's schizophrenic breakdown, and of her recovery in a modern mental hospital. Inherent in the film is an appeal for greater public understanding of mental illness and for the removal of the stigma that still surrounds it. The film presents the case of a seemingly well-adjusted young woman, showing the disintegration of her personality and the psychiatric treatment that follows.
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The Cabinet of Doctor FerronJean-Daniel Lafond 2003 1 h 21 minThis feature-length documentary focuses on acclaimed novelist, playwright, essayist, political gadfly, and practicing doctor, Jacques Ferron. Using a combination of fiction and biography, the filmmaker takes viewers on a pilgrimage into the life and fictional world of the prolific author. The film reveals a complex and appealing man who was a Quebec nationalist, an ironic polemicist, and an anguished humanist devoted to social and political justice.
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Double VerdictFergus McDonell 1957 30 minThis short drama tells the story of Andy Potter, a successful lawyer torn between 2 worlds - the world of reality and that of his own dreams and ambitions. With a loving wife, many supportive friends and a great career, there was no apparent reason for him to wish to end his life. Yet and still, one by one, the symptoms of schizophrenia took their toll.
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Fighting Their Fears: Child and Youth AnxietyMelanie Wood 2004 56 minAnxiety motivates us to get things done, but for some people, anxiety is not a driver. For many children, anxiety disrupts everyday life, interfering with their ability to make friends or go to school.
Through interviews with experts and three young people, this compelling documentary outlines the causes, symptoms and treatments for anxiety disorders and emphasizes the importance of early identification and intervention. In all of these stories there is hope.
This powerful 3-part series on child and youth mental health sheds light on the current situation and offers practical tools to understanding the problems and finding solutions. It captures real family stories, spotlighting the challenges and breakthroughs.
The two other titles in the series are Beyond the Blues: Child and Youth Depression and A Map of the Mind Fields: Managing Adolescent Psychosis. -
Feelings of DepressionStanley Jackson 1950 30 minHow and why feelings of depression carry over from childhood to overshadow adulthood are explained in the case of John Murray, an industrious and conscientious businessman. As his case history unfolds we see how persisting reactions to early emotional problems render him incapable of enjoying a happy, normal life.
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The Feeling of RejectionRobert Anderson 1947 20 minThe case history of Margaret, a 23-year-old girl who has physical disorders with no physical causes. A psychiatrist shows her the root of her troubles--childhood overprotection and discouragement of her efforts to express herself, resulting in a crippling fear of failure and a complete inability to assert herself. When Margaret understands her problem, she develops new and healthier habits of behaviour.
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The Hasty Man Drinks His Tea with a ForkSylvie Groulx 2003 1 h 23 minA blend of drama and documentary, this film follows several people caught up in the turmoil of the modern world. The drama centres on a woman who has burned out and who holds up her own despair – and her attempts to rebuild her life – as a mirror to the rest of us. With a blend of gravity and humour, Sylvie Groulx's film shows the absurdity of a society dedicated to the cult of speed at all costs.
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I Am HereEoin Duffy 2016 4 minThis short film from Eoin Duffy introduces a mysterious traveler journeying across time and space in search of the origin of life, God, and the universe. Looking for answers, he arrives at a devastating realization, yet the earth continues to spin. Through sharp modernist shapes and a riveting score by Menalon, I Am Here takes a curious and contemplative approach to dark and complex themes. Featuring the voice of Nicholas Campbell (Da Vinci's Inquest), the film is a thoughtful and open-ended exploration of existence itself.
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Listen Listen ListenBarbara Greene 1976 1 h 22 minThis film is about a controversial educational community in southwestern Ontario where people of all ages come, either freely or referred by the courts, psychiatric wards and training schools. The film focusses on the "referrals," and their common struggle to instill new meaning into their lives.
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Lipsett DiariesTheodore Ushev 2010 14 minThis animated short by Theodore Ushev depicts the maelstrom of anguish that tormented Arthur Lipsett, a famed Canadian experimental filmmaker who died at the age of 49. His descent into depression and madness is explored through a series of images as well as sounds taken from Lipsett's own work.
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Mental Patients' AssociationRichard Patton 1977 28 minThis short documentary is a fascinating portrait of the Vancouver Mental Patients' Association (MPA), a unique, democratically-organized advocacy and support group for people who have sought care in the mental health system. While client-centred care and advocacy in mental health are relatively more common now, they were unfamiliar concepts in the 1970s, and this film sheds light on the birth of this nascent movement. The MPA provides support and a space for discussion, which helps those dealing with mental health problems to re-integrate into their communities after sojourns in hospitals or other institutions. Members' comments afford some insight into what has been called the "mental health industry."
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A Map of the Mind Fields: Managing Adolescent PsychosisNijole Kuzmickas 2004 56 minUntil recently a diagnosis of psychosis was seen as the end to normal life. With onset occurring most often in youth from 13 to 25, this serious mental health disorder often has tragic consequences when undiagnosed or improperly dealt with.
Psychosis is a brain disorder where an individual experiences some loss of contact with reality. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, paranoia and disorganized thoughts and speech. Three people share their personal stories: Amanda, 16, Max, 12, and Tara, 18.
This powerful 3-part series offers practical tools to understanding the problems and finding solutions to mental health problems among children and youth. The two other titles in the series are Beyond the Blues: Child and Youth Depression and Fighting Their Fears: Child and Youth Anxiety. -
MichellePedro Pires & Robert Lepage 2014 31 minIn this short film, our protagonist Michelle suffers from schizophrenia and has just come out of a psychiatric institution. Finding refuge in the Quebec bookstore where she works, this tortured poet seems almost serene. But no one knows what she sees and hears when she lets her gaze drift. The ghosts, the self-inflicted wounds, the paranoia: they still weigh on her. When a student wanders into the bookstore, Michelle rediscovers her love of creating with words. Through this chance meeting of two completely different people, Michelle gradually finds her way out of the darkness.
This short film is part of Triptych, a contemporary urban saga based on Robert Lepage's epic theatre piece Lipsynch. -
A Man ImaginedBrian M. Cassidy & Melanie Shatzky 2024 1 h 1 minA bracingly intimate and hallucinatory portrait of a man with schizophrenia surviving amidst urban detritus and decay. Pushing at the limits of non-fiction cinema, A Man Imagined follows 67-year old Lloyd as he sells discarded objects to motorists and passersby. Unfolding along psychological lines, the film reveals the existential solitude of a man at once gentle and marred by a storied past.
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NCR: Not Criminally Responsible (Short Version)John Kastner 2013 51 minWhile gripped by psychosis, a troubled young man stabs a complete stranger six times in a crowded shopping mall. Declared not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder, the young man is confined to a forensic mental health institution. NCR: Not Criminally Responsible offers a timely and provocative examination of violence and mental illness, and the rights of victims. With unprecedented access to the patient, the victim, and the mental institution, the film looks at both sides of the debate and puts a human face on the complex ethical issues raised.
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NCR: Not Criminally ResponsibleJohn Kastner 2013 1 h 39 minDirected by John Kastner, this feature documentary about violence, mental illness, and the rights of victims tells the story of a troubled young man who stabbed a complete stranger 6 times in a crowded shopping mall while gripped by psychosis. Twelve years later, his victim, who miraculously survived, is terrified to learn that he’s out, living in the community under supervision. He’s applying for an absolute discharge, and if he succeeds, he’ll no longer be required to take the anti-psychotic drugs that control his mental illness. With unprecedented access to the patient, the victim, and the mental institution, the film looks at both sides of the debate and puts a human face on the complex ethical issues raised.
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Out of Mind, Out of SightJohn Kastner 2014 1 h 27 minThis feature documentary profiles four residents of the Brockville Mental Health Centre, a forensic psychiatric hospital for people who have committed violent crimes. Four patients—two men and two women—struggle to gain control over their lives so they can return to a society that often fears and demonizes them. Shrouded in stigma, institutions like this one are places into which patients disappear from public view for years.
Four-time Emmy winner John Kastner was granted unprecedented access to the Brockville facility for 18 months, allowing 46 patients and 75 staff to share their experiences with stunning frankness. -
OCD: The War InsideMark Pancer & David Hoffert 2001 1 h 10 minWARNING: This film discusses the topic of OCD. Viewer discretion is advised.
This feature documentary explores the daily lives of individuals living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a misunderstood anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts, nagging fears and ritualistic behaviour. From the outside, its sufferers have no physical disabilities and have every appearance of being as functional as the next person. But inside, a daily war is waged for survival.
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Over-DependencyRobert Anderson 1949 32 minThe case history of a man whose life is crippled by behaviour patterns carried over from a too-dependent childhood. Through therapy he comes to understand the causes of his illness and fear.
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Pieces of a Dream: A Story of GamblingMichelle Wong 2003 48 minWhen Phillip Wong died by suicide, his family thought that silence would end their pain. But his sister, filmmaker Michelle Wong, needed to make sense of her brother's death. What drove him to end his life at age 36?
Weaving together intimate conversations with those closest to Phillip, as well as her own candid reflections, Wong embarks on a personal journey. Gently peeling away layers of silence, she uncovers her brother's story of gambling addiction and his lonely spiral into desperation, isolation and depression.
Filmed against the backdrop of the noisy casinos of Las Vegas and the quiet town of St. Paul, Alberta, the documentary lays bare the grief of family and friends. Sifting through feelings of guilt, sadness and shame, the once-fragmented family begins to discover a new closeness. This heart-wrenching film is a sister's uncompromising search for the truth and healing--for herself, her family, and others struggling with addiction. -
A Place in the WorldRobert Lang 1997 40 minThis short documentary introduces us to Martin Langlois, an autistic 22 year-old who is transferred to Maison Emmanuel when his devoted parents can no longer care for him. Maison Emmanuel is an alternative therapeutic community in Quebec’s Laurentian mountains that offers residents the ability to develop their life skills and particular gifts and abilities. Run by Inge Sell and her team, it is now home to 20 children and young adults, and forms part of a worldwide network of similar communities.
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Racing ThoughtsLouiselle Noël 2010 1 h 12 minThis is a film about children who thought they were “crazy.” Who wanted to die. Who felt fear, anger and hopelessness. Four young people living with mental illness and their loved ones make the courageous decision to open up about their stories. Their voices are complemented by that of the director, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as an adult but whose initial symptoms emerged in childhood. This film skirts the specialists’ debates in favour of a more personal tone, moving away from the alarming vocabulary of diagnoses and allowing viewers to discover the children affected.
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Shattered DreamsWendy Hill-Tout 1989 27 minShattered Dreams is a powerful and emotional exploration of the experiences of a family forced to deal with the tragedy of schizophrenia in a loved one; not once, but twice. The Martini family of Calgary lived through the turmoil of losing their youngest son Ben to schizophrenia and eventually suicide, only to discover six years later that a second son, Liv, has developed the disease. Clem Martini, a third brother, narrates the film, sharing with us his family's journey through a world of confusion, guilt, loss and ultimately, hope. (Broadcast on CBC's Man Alive series.)
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StigmaStanley Jackson 1958 19 minThis film tells the story of a young woman who suffers a mental breakdown, recovers fully in a mental hospital and returns home. Instead of the understanding and support she most needs from her friends and associates, she is virtually ostracized. The film makes a plea for a change in the sort of public thinking that places a stigma upon people who have suffered from an illness of the mind rather than of the body.
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Struggle for Control: Child and Youth Behaviour DisordersMelanie Wood 2005 57 minStruggle for Control: Child and Youth Behaviour Disorders is the fourth in a series of documentaries focusing on mental health issues facing BC's children and youth. Following the stories of four BC youth, this documentary sheds light on the causes, symptoms, community resources, and treatments of three of the most commonly-diagnosed behaviour disorders: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Conduct Disorder.
Through these moving personal stories, viewers see how behaviour disorders affect the life of a child at home, at school, and the whole family. Struggle for Control debunks the myth that children with behaviour disorders are bad kids whose behaviour is irreversible. Behaviour disorders are treatable, and the key is early detection and early intervention. -
To Serve the MindStanley Jackson 1955 25 minThe dramatization of the sympathetic hospital treatment a general practitioner receives when he suffers a mental breakdown. There is an emphasis on the types of facilities available and on the wide variety of mental and emotional ailments which can be cured or alleviated with medical knowledge.
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These Forgotten VoicesBlaise Barrette 2008 43 minHere's a concert with a difference: The fifteen singers all have mental health problems. Yet they've recorded a CD and have performed on stage in front of 500 people. Filmmaker Blaise Barrette spent a year with them, filming their confidence-building adventure. From the difficult first singing lessons to the highly successful concert, Ces voix oubliées bears witness to an amazing change in the participants. An inspiring documentary that defies prejudice. In French with English subtitles.
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Topics: Mental Health & DrugsNettie Wild 2007 7 minMental-health counsellor Andrew Larcombe talks about the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder and using drugs to escape from difficult life circumstances. He also describes skills and strategies for developing therapeutic relationships and boundaries.
*Watch the complete documentary.
*View all 10 educational playlists.
*Explore the Teacher's Guide for this chapter. -
Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the DaysRegina Pessoa 2019 13 minUncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days is about the special relationship between Regina Pessoa and her uncle. The film is a testament to her love for this eccentric, who was an artistic inspiration and played a key role in her becoming a filmmaker. A moving tribute to a poet of the everyday.
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The Wind at My DoorPierre Goupil & Rénald Bellemare 2014 1 h 14 minThis feature documentary offers an intimate portrait of living with bipolar disorder. Filmmaker Pierre Goupil (Celui qui voit les heures, La vérité est un mensonge) reveals his uneasy relationship with his illness and his journey as an artist in a society that struggles to accept those on the fringe. A product of the 1960s intellectual scene, Goupil continues to question the world and fight for global solidarity. The Wind at My Door celebrates life amid suffering, while reaffirming the importance of social ties and political commitment. An ode to the freedom of individuals over the powers that would enslave them, Goupil's film acknowledges both the terrible winter and the long-awaited spring of renewed creation.
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XO RAD MagicalChristopher Gilbert Grant 2019 1 minXO Rad Magical is a personal lyrical poem about the daily struggle of living with schizophrenia. This psychedelic and hypnotic film shows that there is beauty in the brains of those who are at war with themselves. Produced as part of the 12th edition of the NFB’s Hothouse apprenticeship.
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Zeb's SpiderAlicia Eisen & Sophie Jarvis 2022 9 minAn eight-legged force of fate spins a complex web in Alicia Eisen and Sophie Jarvis’s new stop-motion film, Zeb’s Spider. What begins as a way of coping with an uninvited arachnid soon takes on a monstrous life of its own.
