SMHAFF

of i lms. It visits venues the length and breadth of Scotland, making a particular effort to engage with local communities. The work chosen presents a diverse picture that challenges prevalent stereotypes: that hard work and personal virtue should overcome any disadvantage or that ‘madness’ is a compelling curiosity to be romanticised. ‘It’s still far too common for i lmmakers, and other artists, to take a lazy approach to mental illness,’ insists the festival’s i lm programmer, Richard Warden. ‘There’s something inherently compelling about it but that’s all the more reason for the romantic / demonic dichotomy to be avoided. The reality is far more complex, and more interesting as a result.’

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Films in the programme come from across the board of nationalities, styles and budgets, from the Oscar-winning Silver Linings Playbook, Gillies MacKinnon’s stirring World War I drama Regeneration, and Stuart Murdoch’s musical take on recovery and creativity, God Help the Girl, to Lucy Walker’s documentary on life after brain injury, The Crash Reel, and local talent Garry Fraser’s uncompromising a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l examination his escape from a life of poverty and drug abuse, Everybody’s Child. ‘We were looking for i lms that had something of an edge to them, work that did not “go quietly”,’ explains Warden. ‘This doesn’t that everything we’ve selected takes a hard political mean

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26 THE LIST 18 Sep–16 Oct 2014

‘We were looking for i lms that did not “go quietly”’ stand. However, it’s fair to say that all of the i lms challenge conventionality while also addressing mental health in some way.’

to explore

Readers are encouraged the programme themselves to i nd what’s happening in their own region, whether it might be a movie, play or comedy show, a participatory workshop at which to explore untapped creativity or learn a new skill, or even just an opportunity to sit and talk with others.

For Isabella Goldie, empowering people just to attend and feel part of the festival is a critical part of its ongoing project. ‘We need to work to break down the barriers to access, which is where there is such an important role for festivals like SMHAFF. When we reach out

to communities that might not see the arts as being for them, this is where we know we are doing something really special.’ If ticket pricing tends to keep you or anyone you know away from arts events, it’s worth bearing in mind that many SMHAFF events are free (although some of these require booking in advance, so do check the programme). For Richard Warden, bravery is the most exciting common element in the work being shown. ‘I don’t know that I could dei ne precisely what a SMHAFF i lm is, but I do know that all of the work we’ve chosen shows people taking chances,’ he says. ‘We don’t pretend we have all of the answers when it comes to mental health, and there aren’t any ofi cial lines that the festival follows. It’s about raising questions and awareness. We’ve often referred to the i lms that we screen as conversation starters.’ Your chance to listen and talk back starts on 1 October.

Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, various venues across Scotland, Wed 1–Sun 19 Oct.

Clockwise from L: Everybody’s Child, Vanishing Point’s Tomorrow, Withered Hand, Move the Goalposts. Previous page clockwise from top: Ana Ana, Glasgow Girls, Atom Tree.

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