The Directing Change Program is excited to announce the 11th annual Awards Ceremony! The event will be hosted at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 16th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This celebration will include screenings of films, guest speakers as well as an opportunity to hear from the young filmmakers themselves!
Reserve your free ticket here.
The annual ceremony also celebrates outstanding achievement by directors, producers and actors of film and television, advocates, and social influencers, who serve as role models to the aspiring youth filmmakers in the program by using their platform and storylines to draw attention to mental health and suicide prevention. View the Directing Change 2023 Excellence Awards here.
Screen, Vote, and Share!
We are also once again hosting a People’s Choice Award! This is your chance to vote for your favorite film.
- Vote for your favorite film to win the “2023 People’s Choice” award in each category. The film will be recognized on social media and filmmakers will receive an Amazon gift card.
- Share your favorite films & tag us; every share will result in a donation to the program by one of our sponsors!
- Tag us @directingchange (Instagram, Tik Tok), @DirectChangeCA (Twitter), and @DirectingChangeCA (Facebook)
- Use some or all of the following hashtags on your post: #directingchange #takeaction4MH #suicideprevention #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #youthfilm #film #filmcontest
May is Mental Health Matters Month: This is a great time to take action for mental health by sharing how we can check-in with ourselves and others and raise awareness of mental health. Share resources from the Take Action for Mental Health campaign, participate in the Mental Health Spirit Day Challenge, and submit an entry for the Hope and Justice May contest about how young people can take action for mental health.
As a non-profit organization, we greatly appreciate your support! Please consider a donation, or even starting your own fundraising team!
Suicide Prevention
Mental Health Matters
Our Event Sponsors
Take Action for Mental Health Campaign
This event is presented by the Take Action for Mental Health campaign. As part of California’s ongoing mental health movement, the Take Action for Mental Health campaign is designed to help you check in, learn more, and get support for your own mental health or the mental health of someone you care about.
The Take Action for Mental Health campaign, the Know the Signs campaign and the Directing Change Annual Film Contest are part of statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students funded by counties through the Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63) and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
Blue Shield
Returning as our signature event sponsor is the Blue Shield of California BlueSky youth mental health initiative. Leading with equity, BlueSky provides resources for youth, families, educators, and caregivers to promote emotional well-being for youth mental health supports through access, awareness, and advocacy. The initiative works with the California Department of Education (CDE) and nonprofit organizations to improve the health and well-being for all California youth, with a focus on health inequities in communities of color.
“Congratulations to the youth filmmakers and winners of the 2023 Directing Change Film Contest. Our Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky youth mental health initiative is working to bridge the gap between mental health stigma and youth mental health support. Your unique, creative lens and voice are needed more than ever to further increase mental health awareness and accessibility to resources that are often left uncovered. We are so proud, grateful, and honored to support your one of a kind work for the fourth year. Continue to make a change in your communities.”
Your Social Marketer
Your Social Marketer, Inc has been a Directing Change partner for many years and is passionate about having the films seen by as many people as possible to inspire much-needed conversations on these topics in our schools, families and communities. They will make a donation for every “Share and Tag” of this year’s finalists.
