Mental Health Short Films - Recovery Diaries

Each of our short-subject mental health documentary films is crafted with artistry, sensitivity, and care by us and our filmmaking partner, FreshFly. Our film collections are available for sponsored screenings with your organization, business, or community.

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Beyond The Bullet - Gunshot Survivor Mental Health Short Films- Featured Image
Engaging Males of Color Mental Health Short Films - Featured Image
Engaging Males of Color Mental Health Short Films - Featured Image
LGBTQ+ Mental Health Recovery Short Films
Beyond The Bullet - Gunshot Survivor Mental Health Short Films- Featured Image
Beyond The Bullet - Gunshot Survivor Mental Health Short Films- Featured Image
Beyond The Bullet - Gunshot Survivor Mental Health Short Films- Featured Image
LGBTQ+ Mental Health Recovery Short Films
LGBTQ+ Mental Health Recovery Short Films

Mental Health Recovery Short Films

PhillyChinChilly

PhillyChinChilly

Short documentary about Phillychinchilly, a chinchilla with a strong social media presence who shares messages of hope and encouragement.

I AM HANNAH

I AM HANNAH

Short film about Hannah Pittenturf, a college student who navigates anxiety and depression recovery, who strives to support others.

I AM SARA

I AM SARA

Portrait of Sara Sciacchitano, artist who challenges her anxiety and depression with art and exercise and humor—and a deep love for Darth Vader.

I AM ASHLEY

I AM ASHLEY

Portrait of musician Ashley Murray, a youth peer navigator for NAMI Philadelphia who runs a therapeutic songwriting workshop for young people.

First Responder Mental Health: When the Helpers Need Help, Who You Gonna Call?

First Responder Mental Health: When the Helpers Need Help, Who You Gonna Call?

Michelle Monzo is a hero’s hero. Her work is her passion, and her passion is her work. She is trains police and other criminal justice and public safety personnel in mental health crisis intervention techniques. in addition to her crisis intervention education efforts, she creates safe spaces for first responders to be vulnerable when they are feeling they need mental health support.

Sailing for Life and Surviving PTSD

Sailing for Life and Surviving PTSD

Hell or High Seas follows veteran Navy rescue swimmer Taylor Greiger and friend Stephen O’Shea on the sailing adventure of a lifetime to prove that Taylor is stronger than his PTSD diagnosis.

Physician Mental Health & Suicide

Physician Mental Health & Suicide

by https://youtu.be/7qBobGOF0fs Doctors are the healers and the helpers. But what happens when it’s the doctors who need the healing and the help? An estimated 300 to 400 doctors die by suicide each year, a rate of 28 to 40...

How to be an Active Listener

How to be an Active Listener

A rising number of college students are seeking treatment at campus counseling centers for serious mental health challenges. Our video features the powerful listeners from Cogwell@Penn. Watch (and learn) how they skillfully role-play as active listeners when presented with a variety of stories from friends in need.

Unforgotten – Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital

Unforgotten – Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital

A few months ago, I saw a photo on Facebook of a cemetery in Marlboro, New Jersey. The cemetery was on the grounds where the Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital once stood, and was the place where people who were once residents of the hospital were laid to rest.

Cumulative PTSD for a Police Officer After 9/11

Cumulative PTSD for a Police Officer After 9/11

This video features Officer Ron Griffith, formerly of the NYPD. After 9/11, Ron’s personality shifted. He became a controlling, angry person. He says he wasn’t aware of this change until his family left him, and all he was left with cumulative PTSD.

A Hero’s Life

A Hero’s Life

Lost to paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Ed was in limbo for 30 years before finding the right medication and community to heal and play music.

Torrey Pines

Torrey Pines

Interview with Clyde Petersen about Torrey Pines, a stop-motion animated adventure film about coming of age with an undiagnosed schizophrenic single mother.

Message To The World

Message To The World

A short video with a simple question: What is your message to the world? It’s a big question, but very few people appeared at a loss for words.

Darlene’s Recovery Story

Darlene’s Recovery Story

Video from the Hollywood Beauty Salon documentary: Remembering neglect in foster care, alcoholism, and mental illness, Darlene talks to her inner child.

Meet Monica (Again) – Mental Health & Chosen Family

A Journey Within

Monica, a young transwoman, talks about her experience with mental health challenges, homelessness, and finding her chosen family at The Attic Youth Center.

Delaney Ruston

Delaney Ruston

Interview with Delaney Ruston about her documentary Hidden Pictures, where she visits India, China, South Africa, France & the USA looking at mental health.

The Reel Mind

The Reel Mind

“The Reel Mind films have a message of hope and recovery. People come in feeling alone and isolated and leave feeling very differently” –Dr Larry Guttmacher

Sprout Film Festival

Sprout Film Festival

Anthony Di Salvo talks about Sprout Film Festival, vacations for people with developmental disabilities, and Sproutflix, a new movies on demand platform.

2014 Roundup

2014 Roundup

A roadmap of festivals for filmmakers and film lovers alike that encourage film submissions surrounding ideas of mental health and recovery,

Of Two Minds

Of Two Minds

In OF TWO MINDS, Liz recounts her lost years of extreme mania and depressions as well as the effects of electroshock treatments.

Michael Solomon

Michael Solomon

Michael Solomon is married, assumes responsibilities, and helps others in their own recovery journeys. He has a lot of empathy for people, too.

The OC87 Movie

The OC87 Movie

Behind the scenes of Bud Clayman’s documentary OC87: The Obsessive Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger’s Movie.