• Sponsors
  • |
  • Judges
  • |
  • Films
  • |
  • Award Ceremony
  • |
  • Media
  • |
  • About
  • |
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • |
  • Submission Categories
  • |
  • Forms and Copyright
  • |
  • For Youth
  • |
  • For Schools
  • |
  • For Parents
Directing Change

Support Puzzle

Tags: Monthly Prompt
Film Description:

The mental health heroes I decided to portray are my friends. Adolescence can be a very rough time, but having peers who are going through similar struggles allows connections to be formed through relatability. I am fortunate to have a solid group of friends. Individually, we all have our struggles and mental blocks; together, we can fill in each other's gaps of mental vulnerability. If one friend is going through something, the rest of us will help support them however we can. Not everyone has the same problems, which is why we are like a puzzle. Each of us brings a piece to the table, whether that be experience, advice, or even just emotional support. That concept is represented by the blank boxes that each person has on their section of the piece. We are each missing some things, but no one is incomplete. It's from the rendered portions of ourselves that we draw strength to fill in the blankness of others. The format I made the piece was akin to a video call because the group of friends I drew is people I got much closer to during a time when we were supposed to be further than ever. Quarantine. Growing up comes with many struggles, many of them mental, but my friend group will always support each other through it all; they are my mental health heroes.
https://directingchangeca.org/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/107-3785c6d35aa4fcf9b14b8192650c4c73/2022/11/IMG_2921.jpg

Previous film La Mia Famiglia Next film A Kind Older Sister
If you are experiencing an emotional crisis, are thinking about suicide or are concerned about a friend call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline immediately: 1-800-273-8255This is a free 24-hour hotline.
Directing Change is 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. These initiatives are 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.
Suicide Prevention Awareness CalMHSA Logo Your Social Marketer, Inc.