Film / student mental health
New short film focusses on student mental health
A new short film explores mental health among students, with young people from UWE and the University of Bristol discussing mental health and suicide.
With at least 13 students in Bristol lost to suicide since 2016, Faces of Mental Health is a timely and important film which aims to challenge stigma and encourage open conversations around the topic.
Arthur Cauty is a the Brisol-based filmmaker behind the short documentary
Bristol-based filmmaker Arthur Cauty has worked with large corporations such as the BBC and Disney to create documentaries in the past, but turned his attention to his own city for this latest project, saying: “Living in Bristol, I’ve read a lot about the high number of student suicides here over the past couple of years.
is needed now More than ever
“It’s had a lot of media coverage, and it hits hard being so close to home. I just wanted to reach out and see if I could help encourage conversation and change, and perhaps shed a little light on what’s going on for the young people in our universities.”
The aim behind the short documentary is to offer university students a safe space to share their thoughts and experiences of poor mental health and suicide, encouraging a conversation, without it being over-dramatised and overshadowed with statistics, narration and cutaways: “My approach for Faces of Mental Health was simple – just to let people speak,” says Arthur.
Arthurs says that the overall aim of the film is: “To shift the way we see mental illness and create an environment of support and acceptance where people feel able to share.”
The film can be viewed on Vimeo at www.vimeo.com/326197692
Read more: ‘How universities can support student mental health and wellbeing’
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