Risking Light

Stress

February 2020 •German

"The trauma of 9/11, the ideology of violent retribution, military service as a patriotic family tradition, the “unfairness” of today’s warfare – in their voice-overs, five young Afghanistan war veterans first establish familiar foundations. Joe, Torrie, Mike, James and Justin from Pittsburgh are slow to show us their faces. Physically unharmed but full of inner pain they have become the misunderstood upon their return. Their violent experiences speak a language that the people at home don’t understand.

Después de Ucrania: Relatos de una Cobertura

February 2023 •Spanish

Four journalists talk about their experiences and share their testimonies of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

From Shock to Awe

June 2018 •English

How do we heal our deepest wounds? Two combat veterans, suffering from severe trauma, abandon pharmaceuticals in order to seek healing through psychedelic medicines. Recent scientific research has shown that these substances can help people to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Beyond the personal stories, From Shock to Awe raises fundamental questions about war, the pharmaceutical industry, and the US legal system.

Within my soul

Invalid date •German

Taking the Hill

December 2006 •English

Over the years, Raul Ries, a military veteran (US Marine Corps) has reached out to those who are serving or have served in our armed forces. He has spoken to countless men and women from various theaters of military conflict, after their return home. In 2006, 40 years after fighting in the jungles of Vietnam, Ries experienced flashbacks for the first time. Subsequently, he found three of the men closest to him, who fought alongside of him in the Marine Corps unit ALPHA 1/7, and have suffered the consequences. Together again, they are taking the hill and finding healing.

seventy x seven

May 2018 •Tagalog

A high school student revisits seven churches and chapels close to her faith after being confronted with what seems to her the unforgivable.

Trip of Compassion

May 2017 •Hebrew

Thousands of PTSD victims live in Israel, which in recent years has been promoting an innovative treatment, namely psycho-active substances, known as psychedelic drugs. The film documents PTSD victims undergoing MDMA treatment at Beer Yaacov psychiatric hospital over several years. We return with them to the site of the trauma, to the life before and the long and complex road to leaving the bleeding wounds behind and returning to life.

Handler is crazy

August 2019 •English

A short documentary following Koyote Moone and her medical and psychiatric service dog Banner. This film explores issues surrounding non-visible disabilities and discrimination against service dog teams.

Holotropic Breathwork: A Conversation with Christina & Stanislav Grof, MD

January 1994 •English

In this interview, psychiatrist Dr Stanislav Grof, MD and his wife Christina explain holotropic breathwork, and discuss its uses in psychotherapy. Like hypnosis and psychedelic therapy, holotropic breathwork is a method for invoking non-ordinary states of consciousness for therapeutic purposes. Viewers see patients undergoing holotropic breathwork in a group session, and the patients themselves then report their experiences.

Tiger

January 2017 •English

“I want to be a tiger. I am an atheist from Iraq and I am seeking asylum. About my hallucinations… It’s difficult. Horrible monsters. I hope I can help those who need help.” An episode of the animation series Mental images by Antonia Ringbom. The aim of these animated documentary short films is to reduce the stigma toward mental health problems and psychological disorders.

Odyssey

October 2023 •English

Six California kids test their brains and talents against students in Odyssey of the Mind, a problem-solving competition requiring mechanical, creative and intellectual skills. With little money and zero adult participation, the teens build a robot to tell a story about bullying, exclusion and mental health. But how does their solution measure up?

Bouche cousue

November 2020 •French

PTSD: The War in My Head

May 2019 •English

This film tells the stories of three British soldiers who died last year following lengthy battles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). John Paul Finnigan from Liverpool, Kevin Williams from London, and Kevin Holt from Doncaster were in the same regiment, 2-Rifles, which served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through personal videos, voice notes, interviews and letters, this film reveals the private battle these men fought with their mental health. While candid conversations with soldiers’ friends and families, document how their illnesses affected those around them.

Freeman

September 2020 •English

The story of a nation coming together around Indigenous athlete Cathy Freeman who delivered when it mattered on the greatest stage on earth. 20 years on, Freeman sheds light on one of Australia's proudest moments. In 49.11 seconds, Cathy Freeman's win at the 2000 Sydney Olympics brought Australia together as a nation.

Custodians: A Story of Ancient Echoes

Invalid date •English

The documentary Custodians – A Story of Ancient Echoes follows the journey of a local community in Herschel, Saskatchewan during the summer of 2021 as they work to preserve and protect the pastureland, native grasslands, and important Indigenous artifacts found near the village. Upon discoveries of dinosaurs, marine fossils and significant Indigenous sites and petroglyphs on nearby farmland, an aging population of community volunteers come together to preserve the land and its stories including the Indigenous history, paleontology, and local ecology. “We have found a living library” says Métis Artist Jo Cooper who has spent the past 20 years in Herschel working alongside locals. The stories of the land and the echoes of the past form new friendships, unravel mysteries and model a potential for deep justice, reconciliation and healing between people and the land.

Přežili

September 2020 •Czech

Diameter of the Bomb

September 2005 •English

Since the renewed Intifada began in 2000, there have been over 75 Palestinian suicide bombings. This is the story of 0ne-the bombing of bus 32 in Jerusalem in June 2002. The film connects the stories of a group of ordinary Israelis-Jews and Arabs. Each of them holds a clue to someone who died that day.

In Praise of Hands

January 1974 •English

This short documentary pays tribute to the craftsmen everywhere whose work adds color and richness to life. Filmed in the Canadian Arctic, Finland, India, Nigeria, Japan, Mexico, and Poland, it shows the special skills of artisans working at their crafts - stone sculpture, pottery, ceramics, weaving, dyeing, puppet making, embroidery. Each indigenous skill is a reflection of the culture of the country.

PTSD911

Invalid date •English

First Responders sign up to serve; they risk their lives and their mental health to respond to someone’s worst day. Who will rescue them? PTSD911 is a documentary film about real people: normal, average human beings who have chosen to work in professions that require above average heroism, fortitude, and resolve. These men and women have jobs that require a willingness to face things that most of us can’t even imagine, yet maintain a high level of dignity and professionalism. First responders in fact repeatedly see and experience things that most of us will never see, causing compound issues related to post-traumatic stress injuries and disorders.

Passfire

August 2016 •English

A film about fireworks, the people who make them and the cultures behind them across the globe.