Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Capturing mindscapes on celluloid

COIMBATORE: The Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), Chennai, along with the Indian Psychiatric Society Kongunadu branch, will organise a film festival, “Frame of Mind,” on October 13 and 14 at Nani Kalaiarangam, Mani High School.

Organised in connection with the World Mental Health Week observed from October 7 to 13, the festival is based on the theme “Mental Health in a Changing World.” As cinema has a greater reach and impact on the public, a film festival is the best way to spread awareness on mental illness, says R.Mangala, Consultant Psychiatrist, SCARF.

“While certain movies have stereotyped mental illness, reinforcing prejudices, there are some which increase the layman’s understanding of mental illnesses,” she adds.

The festival will have movies which dwell on various mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease. The aim is to dispel the myths surrounding mental illness and reduce the stigma attached to it.

SCARF is part of the world-wide anti-stigma campaign on schizophrenia and has been conducting awareness programmes ever since the formal launch of the campaign in India in 2004. The campaign is targeted at people from various backgrounds including school students and professionals, especially the general medical practitioners. “The general practitioners are the first ones who come into contact with the patient. If they are not aware of mental illness, it is likely to be missed. That would lead to the condition worsening for the patient,” Dr. Mangala says.

The movies that will be screened are “Thanmathra” (Malayalam), “Kudaikul Mazhai” (Tamil) and short films “Chandru” (Hindi) and “Bluffer” (Hindi) on October 13 and “As Good as it Gets” (English) and “15 Park Avenue” (English/Hindi) on October 14.

Entry is free.

For details, contact: 9486324166.

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