Shadows and Sunshine: Little Miss Sunshine + Mental Health in the Movies Day
Please note: This event took place in Feb 2016
Sheryl: "Frank, I’m so glad you’re still here!
Frank: "That makes one of us"
- Little Miss Sunshine
Join us for an afternoon of film, discussion, talks, poetry and refreshments as we embark on a road trip exploring mental health and the movies.
First up on our journey is bittersweet Oscar®-winning comedy Little Miss Sunshine, which sees an increasingly desperate father Richard (Greg Kinnear) lead his eccentric family on a road trip across the states in their battered VW van to help 7-year-old Olive achieve her dream of becoming a beauty queen. Along for the ride are his foul-mouthed, heroin-abusing father, his 'pro-honesty' wife, his teen son who has taken a vow of silence, and his suicidal Proust scholar brother in law, who is fresh out of hospital after being jilted by his lover. Exploring depression, hope, mental health and wellbeing, their trip is full of surprises that change them all in ways they didn't think possible.
After the screening join us in the Waterside spaces to dig a little deeper into mental health on film. You'll get to have your say on some of the most famous depictions of mental health on screen, before casting your vote on which ones are the most (and least) accurate. Hear from young people who will talk about their personal experiences with ADHD, anxiety, bipolar disorder and depression, find out what film you should watch next from our Recommendation Machine, and enjoy some light refreshments as Bristol-based spoken word poet Vanessa Kisuule performs a specially-commissioned piece.
On the day 100 ticket holders can register for the final destination: a panel discussion about the portrayal of mental illness on screen, where you will have the opportunity to ask questions and find out how the myths and realities match up. Make sure you don't get left behind and join us on a tour of the movies and the mind.
This event is brought to you by the BFI Film Academy at Watershed, a group of young people who have devised, designed and delivered this event. Presented in partnership with Off The Record and Mentality.