The Bears on Pine Ridge

Recovering from mental illness is a hard step to take, but what does it feel like to take this step?

Edgar, a thirty-something documentary filmmaker diagnosed with OCD, films his routine as he recounts his past and present dealing with this disorder. He has always been supported by the people in his close circle. However, he has never met someone with the same condition, someone who also goes through this mental seesaw. We will meet a young magician and the mother of a boy with OCD, all touched by the same condition and its various faces. Edgar will seek answers to questions that constantly haunt his mind, such as: How on earth have they been able to understand their minds? How have they overcome the various obstacles? And if they have overcome them at all.

In the swirling volcanic steam and misty rain forest of Kilauea volcano’s east rift zone on the island of Hawai’i, two forces meet head on. Geothermal development interests, seeking to clear the rain forest for drilling operations, are opposed by native Hawaiians seeking to stop the desecration of the fire goddess, Pele. Pele is a living deity fundamental to Hawaiian spiritual belief. She is the eruption, with its heat, lava and steam. Her family takes the form of forest plants, animals and other natural forces. But geothermal development interests see Pele as simply a source of electricity. When Hawaiians take the issue to court, they find that nature-based religions are not respected by U.S. law.

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In the Arctic Circle, Jason Fox and an elite team of military veterans open up to each other about men’s mental health while taking on one of the world’s toughest ultramarathons.

The quest of a father seeking for a future for his son, Tom, affected by autistic disorders and passionate about haunted places. A sensitive and funny film that gives a voice to young autistic people around the world, who are fulfilled in their lives and jobs. A possible future for Tom.

Shot during the first ever Innu circus festival in Labrador, Canada, Tricksters gives the viewing audience a positive glimpse into these troubled native communities. The artistry of international performers is combined with the native tradition of drumming and dancing offering a wider appreciation for the Innu way of life. Tricksters features Beni Malone's Wonderbolt Circus, as well as two time world champion hoop dancer Lisa Odjig who interacts with Innu Elders and children in workshops. Interviews with Innu elders inspire a greater appreciation for the Innu way of life. Tricksters offers an emergence of art and native culture, rarely seen on the screen.

The Bridge is a controversial documentary that shows people jumping to their death from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco - the world's most popular suicide destination. Interviews with the victims' loved ones describe their lives and mental health.

A documentary about the people who ride their motorcycles around America. Filmed during the 1996 annual biker run held at Sturgis, South Dakota, it takes a close look at some of the different types of people who ride motorbikes, showing that they're not what popular stereotypes have portrayed them to be. Among the people followed are Alex and Martin, a middle-aged couple planning to attend the festival together, Ilene, who comes from a long line of bikers, and the rough-looking "Liddo" Jim, head of a group called the Ressurection Motorcycle Club.

In 2017 Petter (24) decides to end his life, but at the very last moment, is stopped by the police. His best friend and fellow film student Sverre is determined to help and suggests making a film to keep Petter busy and focused on getting better. Equipped with a camera, they search the streets of Oslo to find out how other troubled souls deal with their lives. With a naive and spontaneous approach, they end up in dramatic and unpredictable situations. They meet Monica, whose past has led her to self-injurious behavior. Oliver and Cornelia, both escaping their demons with alcohol and drugs, and Emma, who is transsexual, lesbian, and proud of who she is. They also meet Miriam, who becomes Petter's girlfriend. By getting to know their destructive patterns, Petter becomes aware of his own. He sets off on a bumpy therapeutic journey, that eventually brings light into his darkness. Young and Afraid is an authentic and raw documentary about choosing to live.

The true story of bombs, booze, and a retired Army Bomb Tech's path to opening a local moonshine distillery and advocating for Veterans' mental health.

In the face of AAPI violence, an intergenerational coalition of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, People of Color organizers come together to organize a march across historic Washington Heights and Harlem, as a continuation of the historic and radical Black and Asian solidarity tradition.

Inner peace and self-fulfillment are possible for each of us. Two modern day monks set off on an international journey to film a diverse range of people making the choice for a better life through meditation. Stunning cinematography combined with the power of people sharing from a place of profound peace delivers a palpable and moving experience. Available to rent or buy in 11 languages - English, Spanish, Portugese, Norwegian, Mandarin, French, German, Finnish, Italian, Dutch, and Swedish. https://vimeo.com

"Wolfe" is an intimate confessional from Nick, who learned through puberty that the imaginary friend in his head was real, and violent.

A short film portrays the events of a depressed man's day, culminating, presumably, in his suicide, though the ending is ambiguous. Afterwards, a roundtable of mental hygiene professionals and social workers examine the film, while discussing the phenomenon of suicide more broadly.

Cranes and Voices follows, on one side, people who hear voices and share their daily lives, and on the other, a collective of tenants who investigate their neighbourhood through its noises, its vibrations and its construction sites. The film moves through apartments, streets, meetings and moments of sound creation, where voices, urban noises and recorded materials are transformed into collective sound compositions and spaces for exchange. Sound appears here as an ambivalent force, at once invasive and generative, shaping the way we inhabit the city, other people and ourselves. Cranes and Voices invites us to pay attention to these singular listening experiences, to hear what they reveal about the housing crisis, about how mental health is viewed and about the ways we organise our shared spaces.

Largely ignored and left to their own devices, a group of unassuming teenagers in late 80s and early 90s Sioux Falls, South Dakota created their own culture, community, and economy. And when they moved out into the world at large, they brought what they learned along with them. I Really Get Into It: The Underage Architects of Sioux Falls Punk is a story about the tenacity and ingenuity of youth, finding and following your convictions, and how the kids you least expect often make the most noise. Shot on location in eight cities and assembled from dozens of hours of archival video and hundreds of photos, the documentary features interviews with Larry Livermore (Lookout. Records), Ian MacKaye (Fugazi), Mike Park (Skankin' Pickle), Rebecca Hanten (Cadillac Blindside), Terry Taylor (Hammerlord), and dozens of current and former members of the Sioux Falls all ages music scene.

Four-time Emmy winner John Kastner was granted unprecedented access to the Brockville facility for 18 months, allowing 46 patients and 75 staff to share their experiences with stunning frankness. The result is two remarkable documentaries: the first, NCR: Not Criminally Responsible, premiered at Hot Docs in the spring of 2013 and follows the story of a violent patient released into the community. The second film, Out of Mind, Out of Sight, returns to the Brockville Mental Health Centre to profile four patients, two men and two women, as they struggle to gain control over their lives so they can return to a society that often fears and demonizes them.

Follows the journeys of four members at Headway East London’s Day Centre: Yoki, who began as a Headway member, now works with the charity, providing emotional support and advocacy to other brain injury survivors. Dave, a former chauffeur to the rich and famous, has embraced cooking and is developing his artistic talents. Margie, life and soul of the community, who spreads joy through her love for food and music, and Marie-Claire who has rebuilt her life after an aneurysm left her in a coma at forty.

Lakota people from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota describe the ongoing struggle of their people.