“Year One” Brings a Spotlight on Mental Health on College Campuses: A Conversation with Filmmaker Lauren Loesberg and Producer Imani Davis
I had the opportunity to speak with filmmaker Lauren Loesberg and producer Imani Davis about their film “Year One,” which explores mental health challenges that college students face in their freshman year of college. This theme resonated with another film where I interviewed, director Alex Heller, about her film “The Year Between.” I could relate […]
Tribeca 2022: Cinema Femme interviews Alex Heller about her feature debut “The Year Between”
*The interview starts 10 minutes in. Rebecca Martin, Managing Editor of Cinema Femme talks to Alex Heller about her feature film debut “The Year Between” and how it’s so important for representation of this mental illness onscreen. Make sure to catch the final screening of this film or watch online: https://tribecafilm.com/films/year-between-2022 Alex Heller is a […]
Kelly Oxford’s feature debut “Pink Skies Ahead” changes the game for mental health representation onscreen
“Breakdown, breakthrough,” Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) says in Cameron Crowe’s film of the same name, in a very cliche way, in a very cookie cutter scenario. Jerry gets inspired to change his life after he has a bad pizza. He wakes up with the sweats as it hits him he needs to make a change, […]
Elliot Frances Flynn and Elizabeth Mehling spotlight queer mental health in “Memories of Rain”
Actor/writer Elliot Frances Flynn (“Shoplifters of the World”, “Mare of Easttown”), is an emerging talent who has been a strong supporter of Cinema Femme over the past year, and I’ve gotten to know her more through our social media and virtual events. This year, she made her feature debut in the dramedy “Shoplifters of the […]
Look back: Not just Gilda, but Rita too
“Every man I knew went to bed with Gilda . . . and woke up with me.” -Rita Hayworth The following personal essay was posted in November 2019. We’re bringing it back for Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s powerful when you see yourself represented in a real way onscreen for the very first time. I’m […]
What ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ taught me about myself
“It’s a Wonderful Life” illustrated how a person can forget all of the good in their life in a moment of despair. It is well known as a Christmas film, but for me, George Bailey is a version of myself. I’ve been at that precipice too. I have had many bouts of depression throughout my […]