Anxious America

Mental as Everything

July 2021 •English

Damon Smith has estimated that he has spent around 50,000 hours of his life, so far, participating in absurd ritualistic behaviours associated with his obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). With a diagnosis of both, OCD and Bipolar Disorder, and with the help of his anxious friend, Adam Coad, these Australian singer-songwriters share, through original music, preposterous humour, and outlandish animations, the intricate and debilitating nature of what it is like to live and talk about mental illness in a world where it’s ok to talk about a broken arm, but not ok to talk about a broken mind.

March of the Penguins

January 2005 •French

Every year, thousands of Antarctica's emperor penguins make an astonishing journey to breed their young. They walk, marching day and night in single file 70 miles into the darkest, driest and coldest continent on Earth. This amazing, true-life tale is touched with humour and alive with thrills. Breathtaking photography captures the transcendent beauty and staggering drama of devoted parent penguins who, in the fierce polar winter, take turns guarding their egg and trekking to the ocean in search of food. Predators hunt them, storms lash them. But the safety of their adorable chicks makes it all worthwhile. So follow the leader... to adventure!!

Invisible Movement

June 2019 •Italian

Two men talk about their anxiety-induced panic attacks.

Afraid of People

April 2002 •English

This documentary follows the lives of several extraordinary people who have been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. Through personal interviews, viewers learn about the symptoms, emotions, and challenges these people face and about the treatments available to help people on their road to recovery.

The Tinder Swindler

February 2022 •English

Posing as a wealthy, jet-setting diamond mogul, an Israeli conman wooed women online then conned them out of millions of dollars. Now some victims plan for payback.

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.

Le clown est triste

January 2024 •French

This documentary attempts to understand why so many comedians experience mental health issues, a condition that stands in stark contrast to their profession. Anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts: these are the heavy subjects they dare to tackle on stage. Cathy Gauthier, Coco Belliveau, Jean-François Mercier, Mario Jean, Maude Landry, Preach and Simon Gouache testify.

Dosed

December 2019 •English

The documentary follows one woman's quest to overcome anxiety, depression, and opioid addiction through the use of psychedelic medicines.

Sexwork & Me

January 2012 •English

21st century legal prostitution through the frank stories of Amsterdam red-light district sex workers at a time when tighter regulation threatens their livelihood.

Remnants of the Lost Childhood

Invalid date •Tagalog

In an abandoned house, three young adults tried to reminisce about their childhood lives and the community they were once part of. As the storytelling continues, we find remnants of tragedy and trauma from their past.

Dépassements : ou annonce d'un meurtre qui n'aura jamais lieu

July 2024 •French

L'anxiété, au 21e siècle

April 2022 •French

Hikikomori

June 2024 •Italian

PRESENCE

November 2023 •English

Presence narrates the journey of Thati, a woman determined to overcome her anxiety attacks through surfing. She finds refuge in the waves, where the surfboard becomes her ally and personal therapy.

In the Head of an Anxious

September 2019 •French

Anxiety is the most common mental health problem in North America. Panic attacks, discomfort, ruminations, isolation: anxiety prevents those who suffer from it from living their lives to the full and plunges them into sometimes insurmountable distress. Is there more anxiety than ever before? How do we get out of this?

Tremor

April 2021 •Spanish

The anguish a woman experienced on the night of September 7, 2017, caused by the 8.2 magnitude earthquake that struck southern Mexico and the danger of another impending disaster.

Anxious Generation

September 2019 •French

15 to 20% of young Quebecers suffer from anxiety disorders. It is THE mental health problem of a whole generation.

The Show Must Go On

October 2019 •English

The Show Must Go On is a personal journey behind the scenes that confronts the epidemic of mental health issues in the Australian entertainment industry.

Nadiya: Anxiety and Me

May 2019 •English

In this one-off documentary, Nadiya Hussain sets out to find the cause of her anxiety, exploring the most effective, available treatments.

Southern Comfort

January 2001 •English

This moving documentary chronicles the last year in the life of Robert Eads, a trans man dying of ovarian cancer. We're introduced to several prominent figures in Robert's life -- most importantly, his life partner and caretaker Lola Cola, who is also trans. The two prepare to lead a panel at the annual Southern Comfort conference, a yearly event created for transgender individuals.