On Wednesday, October 26 at 7 p.m., The Westdale is hosting a unique film, poetry and theatre experience. The event is part of Ciné-Psych’s film series, which sees the screening of a film centring around mental health on the last Wednesday of each month until the end of November.
Audience members will be immersed in a bespoke poetry reading and two original, locally produced Ciné-Psych films, The Week/END and Can I Help You? In between these films, the team will put on a live performance of their play The Break Room about the stigma around mental health. Finally, there will be a panel discussion led by members of McMaster’s Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences and Department of Social Work, during which the audience will be invited to share observations, feelings and opinions on the films and play, as well as ask questions.
Founded in 2017 by Dr. Nadeem Akhtar, who is a psychiatrist, McMaster University associate professor and filmmaker, Ciné-Psych explores mental health representations in film and aims to shed light on mental illness vs. mental wellness through community conversation, art and film representations influenced by real experiences. By weaving artistic elements into each gathering, Ciné-Psych turns film screenings into captivating and memorable events. Panel discussions at previous Ciné-Psych events were thoughtful and informative and helped continue to respectfully grow meaningful dialogue around mental illness vs. wellness, topics that do not exist only for a film’s running time, but which are prevalent and critically important in our own communities.
Tickets for October 26’s one-of-a-kind event are $5.00, which includes a bag of popcorn, and are available online or at the box office.
