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10 Years of Frames of Mind


As we begin our tenth year of the Frames of Mind Mental Health Film Series at the Pacific Cinémathèque, we thought it an appropriate time to look back over the 144 feature-length and short films we’ve presented thus far, and, over the next year, present a selection of some of the most memorable. The films we’ve chosen to show in this 12-month retrospective are as follows:

The Devil and Daniel Johnston • USA 2005. Director: Jeff Feuerzeig
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple • USA 2006. Director Stanley Nelson 
Crazy Love
 • USA 2007. Director: Dan Klores
I Am A Sex Addict • USA 2005. Director: Caveh Zahedi
Elling • Norway 2001. Director: Petter Næss
Talhotblond • USA 2009. Director: Barbara
Momma’s Man • USA 2008. Director: Azazel Jacobs
A Song for Martin (En sång för Martin) • Sweden 2001. Director: Bille August
Spider • Canada/Great Britain 2002. Director: David Cronenberg
Titicut Follies • USA 1967. Director: Frederick Wiseman
Young Freud in Gaza • Sweden 2008. Directors: PeÅ Holmquist, Suzanne Khardalian
The Killer Within • USA 2006. Director: Macky Alston

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Looking Back on Frames of Mind

When we launched the Frames of Mind Mental Health Film Series back in September 2002, we had no idea it would one day become one of the longest running film series in Pacific Cinémathèque history. As initially proposed by Dr Harry Karlinsky of the UBC Department of Psychiatry, Frames of Mind was created to promote awareness and education around mental health issues, to address the issue of stigma, to challenge the often erroneous representation of mental illness in media, and to do so using the ubiquitous and highly relatable medium of cinema.

Over nine years of monthly screenings and five annual festivals, we’ve presented more than 100 great films to more than 15,000 viewers. A defining characteristic of Frames of Mind has always been the presentation or panel discussion subsequent to each film, followed by a Q&A and further (often spirited!) discussion with the audience. To that end, we’ve brought in filmmakers from across North America to speak to their films, and have benefited from the expertise of innumerable discussants from mental health fields, family and consumer groups, academia, and more.

Our thanks are due, therefore, to the many dozens of guest speakers who have donated their time and knowledge to these discussions over the years. Many thanks as well to all our community sponsors — too numerous to list here — who have supported Frames of Mind. Much gratitude is also due to the UBC Department of Psychiatry (with a particular thanks to Dr. Zis) and the Institute of Mental Health for their support of the series. We’d also like to pay tribute to the hard work and good humour of our presenting partner, the Pacific Cinémathèque. Extra special thanks are due to the Cinémathèque’s Jim Sinclair, steve chow, Amber Orchard, Rob Gloor, Sonya William, Sue Cormier, and Al Reid.

Most of all, a huge thank you to you, our audience, many of whom are loyal supporters of Frames of Mind and come back month after month to share the evening with us. We couldn’t have done it without you, and we appreciate your continued commitment to the series.

Dr. Harry Karlinsky, Series Director
Caroline Coutts, Series Programmer