24th April 2003

'Reel Madness' the first national festival dedicated to film portrayals of madness and mental distress will be taking place at the ICA, The Mall, London from June 19-22nd.

With Dame Judi Dench as its patron and organized by Mental Health Media, the Documentary Filmmakers Group and Rethink severe mental illness, Reel Madness brings together a diverse range of films and genres from around the world.

Included in the four day festival are autobiographical films made by people about their experiences of mental distress, feature films and documentaries, dramas, short films and experimental animation.

The programme features seven UK premieres such as 'Completely Cuckoo', a documentary about the making of the groundbreaking 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', and also award winners such as 'Kira's Reason' which won awards for best film and actress in the 2002 Danish Bodil Awards.

Reel Madness includes uplifting stories of resilience and recovery, portrayals which don't flinch from recording painful realities and emotions, and films which challenge and expose the brutality with which society has responded to mental distress and madness.

Other films featured include:

'Let There Be Light' - John Huston's 1946 documentary, whose exposure of the connection between war service and mental illness resulted in it being banned by the US military

'A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake', a journey through the life and death of the revered musician Nick Drake

'Titicut Follies' - The documentary debut of the father of cinema verité Frederick Wiseman, this film made in 1967 leads us into the MCI Bridgewater mental institution, showing us a regime of abuse and brutality towards inmates. After a media outcry, the state of Massachusetts attempted to ban the film.

The Reel Madness programme will be accompanied by talks, seminars and workshops to stimulate debate around film portrayals of mental distress and madness.

Tickets can be booked from the Box office. Further details of Reel Madness including the full programme and timings can be found on the website www.reelmadness.co.uk from 1st May 2003.

-ends-


Notes to Editors

1) For further information, contact:

Kate Summerside, Head of Communications, Mental Health Media, 020 7700 8171 or email kate.summerside@mhmedia.com

Katie Brudenell, PR Officer, Mental Health Media, 020 7700 8171 or email katie.brudenell@mhmedia.com

Paul Corry, Head of Policy & Campaigns, Rethink, 020 7330 9110/Mobile: 07775 585 178 or email paul.corry@rethink.org


2) Mental Health Media (www.mhmedia.com)

Mental Health Media is a unique communications organisation which challenges discrimination around mental health by promoting the voice of mental health service users in all media.

Mental Health Media offers a range of video and new media training materials, provides media skills training courses, runs the annual Mental Health Media Awards and works with journalists and broadcasters to inform their coverage of mental health issues.


3) Rethink severe mental illness (www.rethink.org)

founded in 1972 as the National Schizophrenia Fellowship

7,500 members

operates 383 services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland

used by 7,500 people a day

employs 1,500 staff

runs 150 local support groups

won the 2001 Communique Patient Association of the Year Award for its media and campaigns work

founder member of the Mental Health Alliance, bringing together over 50 organisations to campaign for better mental health legislation


4) Documentary Filmmakers Group (www.dfglondon.com)

DFG is a comprehensive resource for documentary filmmakers, offering training, seminars, production opportunities, special events and festivals to the documentary filmmaking community.

Its main aims include:

Helping to provide an outlet for emerging documentary filmmakers to show their work, initiate and collaborate on new projects.

To offer formal training at affordable rates to emerging documentary filmmakers in the form of seminars, workshops and learning vacations

To work in collaboration with various other agencies to raise the profile of documentary film, through screenings, seminars and film festivals both in London and across the UK