On September 24th-26th many of Mad in America’s colleagues and friends who are working to shine a light on an important paradigm shift in mental health will gather in small town of Lillehammer, Norway to talk, connect, share, enjoy films, art, poetry, panels and more.
Each week, for several months leading up to the highly anticipated film festival, Mad in America has highlighted each of the films that are being shown. There are also some exciting last-minute additions that you can see at the festival’s website here.
We are now in the last week before the festival begins, and we cannot wait to gather and enjoy this important event together.
Each film reflects the mission of this festival to create a space for human connection and new friendships, across national borders and differing perspectives through film screenings, conversations with filmmakers, panel discussions, personal stories, and artistic performances.
As we have seen in the posts about each film over the last few months, many powerful films will be screened in a wide range of genres and formats. Together, these films offer insights that may change how you understand life and mental health. As many in the Mad in the World Network are trying to draw attention to, this festival creates a dialogue where we can start to understand mental health struggles differently. Often defined through diagnoses, what if these struggles are signals –expressions of a deeper longing for connection with ourselves and with one another instead of a pathology?
Through the stories told in each of these films of emotion, longing, and the search for identity in a fragmented world, this exciting festival explores the human condition at the intersection of inner and outer realities.
We are also very excited to be opening the online and in-theater art show. Over 60 artists submitted artwork that show how the arts helped them survive mental distress, addiction, and other life circumstances. The exhibition will be live on the film festival’s website at the opening of the festival on Thursday and will be displayed between films during the three-day festival. See our sneak peak below!
Many members of the Mad in the World network will be gathering to meet prior to the festival to connect and share our collective vision of the future of Mad in the World. Robert Whitaker will be doing a short talk at the introduction to the festival entitled “Mad in America to Mad in the World”.
You can find all the information you need about travel and tickets, contributors, panels and the program on the film festival’s website. It is not too late to participate! We are so happy to have been a part of building this important event with Mad in Norway and are looking forward to seeing those of you who can attend.
See you soon!
For those of you who cannot be there with us, and for those who would like to support the festival, there is a crowd funding campaign currently to raise funds for the festival. Those who donate will receive perks like recordings of the panel discussions and presentations. Click here for more information and scroll down past the Norwegian text to find the campaign information in English.
Photo: Veslemöy Furuseth
