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MHC Online Film Fest

The MHC OFF celebrates and promotes filmmakers who, through excellent storytelling and filmmaking, raise awareness and understanding of mental health issues.

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2nd Annual MHC Online Film Fest

Seeking great short films on mental health, to show them to the world

If you have a short documentary, narrative or animation featuring any kind of mental health issue, with great storytelling and powerful characters to engage audiences, we want to show it here – and we’re offering cash prizes for the best submissions.

Please see the 2015 Winners and Selections below.

About

  • Celebrates and promotes filmmakers whose work aligns with the MHC mission of awareness and public benefit
  • All Official Selections will be webcast on the Mental Health Channel, potentially to millions of viewers, and promoted through MHC web and social media networks
  • 1st place winner will receive $1000, 2nd place $500, 3rd place $250
  • All styles welcome: Documentary, Narrative, Animated, Experimental or Music Video
  • Short films only - 20 minutes or less
  • Filmmakers may submit multiple entries
  • High production value required
  • Films may have been produced any time in the last 10 years
  • Submissions accepted only through Withoutabox.com or FilmFreeway.com

2015 Winners and Selections

Vision Award

Play

Leben! (Touching Life) Directed by Carolin Färber

A housebound man with obsessive-compulsive disorder ventures out to try to win back his life. (Germany, Narrative, 18:28)

Jury Award

Play

The Mermaid Directed by Sara Werner

A young woman, her brother with schizophrenia, and his pet goldfish – on one fateful afternoon that changes their lives forever. (USA, Narrative, 13:31)

Audience Award

Play

I Have OCD. This Is What It’s Like to Be in My Mind for 3 Minutes. Directed by Torre Catalano

The repetitive thoughts and compulsions of one man with OCD. (USA, Documentary, 3:13)

2015 Official Selections

The festival’s inaugural year saw over 100 submissions from 14 countries. From them, our review panel chose these Official Selections, and awarded those above.

2015 MHC OFF Jurors

  • Ross Kauffman Academy Award-Winning Director

    Ross is the Director, Producer and Cinematographer of Born Into Brothels, winner of the 2005 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. He also won the award for Best Documentary Cinematography at Sundance 2014 for E-Team, which he co-directed with Katy Chevigny. Ross served as Executive Producer for the documentary feature In A Dream, which was short-listed for the 2009 Academy Awards. Ross is Co-Founder and Creative Director of Fictionless, a media company specializing in documentary film and branded content.

  • Jan Krawitz Professor, Stanford University Documentary Program

    Jan is a Professor of Documentary Film and Video at Stanford University, whose work has been screened at Sundance, the New York Film Festival, Visions du Réel, South by Southwest, AFI Docs, and Full Frame. Perfect Strangers was broadcast on the PBS World channel in 2015. Her Emmy-nominated 2004 film, Big Enough, was broadcast on the national PBS series P.O.V. and internationally in 18 countries. Other films include Mirror Mirror, In Harm’s Way, Little People, and Drive-in Blues.

  • Lloyd Sederer MD Huffington Post Medical Editor for Mental Health

    Dr. Sederer is the Medical Editor, Mental Health for The Huffington Post, and the Medical Director of the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH), the nation’s largest state mental health system. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Columbia/Mailman School of Public Health. He is a prolific writer and blogger, often covering portrayals of mental health in arts and culture, and recipient of the NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award and a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence Grant.

  • Erin Wallace Director of Communications, Mental Health America

    Erin is the Senior Director of Communications and Marketing for Mental Health America (MHA). She directs MHA’s overall messaging, branding, and media relations, and is responsible for communications between the national office and MHA affiliates, promoting the organization to external audiences, and managing the organization’s Annual Conference. She has an extensive background in nonprofit and association communications, public affairs and grassroots organizing.

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