SOCIETY GUARDIAN
FILM ABOUT DEPRESSION WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

15-minute short breaks the silence on key mental health issue and garners worldwide praise

A film about depression by a first-time director has won a clutch of awards at film festivals, and praise from the Samaritans charity.

Mike Rymer made Sick, a 15-minute short, after discovering that one in four people in the UK experience mental illness during their lives.

Samaritans, the mental health charity, advised Rymer, 29, on the script and is backing the film. The charity's PR manager, Mike Cobb, said it was a powerful depiction of how people are affected by mental health issues.

"It is a compelling and moving work that will resonate with its audiences," he said. "The film represents a journey that Samaritans volunteers know only too well."

As well as directing the film, Rymer wrote the screenplay about the troubled relationship between a father and daughter, who have both had depression.

Despite being common, he said the subject is shrouded in silence.

"I didn't sit down to write a film about depression, but I started looking into it and it just became more and more compelling," he said.

"It's common to all countries and cultures and, because so many people commit suicide, it's more deadly than homicide. Depression is such a prevalent condition, but so little understood and so little discussed. This film seeks to start breaking down some of those barriers."

In the film, a grandfather, Brian, looks back on years of therapy for depression, for which his daughter was the catalyst. Her own depression and alcoholism had previously left her son dependent on his grandparents, but when his wife died Brian put the child into care. His daughter fell apart, and only 15 years on does she find the strength to visit him.

Sick won the gold award at the Houston international film festival (WorldFest), along with an honourable mention at California's Accolade film awards and best short film at AsterFest 2008 in Macedonia.

It also has financial backing from the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust charitable funds, which support projects that improve the environment for service users.

"I'm pleased, because it wasn't the easiest film to market,' Rymer said. "It's quite confrontational, even the title is confrontational, but it's been well-received."

Sick is produced by EgoProject Films.

In November it will be screened at Filmstock international film festival, Luton, and at Waterford film festival, Ireland. More dates and details on the Sick website.