The Light Inside

We want to introduce you to our new documentary short film The Light Inside

Synopsis:

A young woman carries a lighted candle into a dark tunnel where she starts to hear voices - each relating a lived experience of suffering mental ill-health. As the testimonies reach crisis point, the candle dies. All hope seems lost. Yet it is here, at the heart of darkness, that ‘the light inside’ can be found. Insight, courage and the help of others point the way back to reality, wellbeing and the light of day... 

Our Goal: we are looking to raise £6,500 in order to...

• Improve our website featuring helplinks to mental health charities & organisations.
• Promote the film to festivals and distributors at home and abroad.
• Edit x 16 additional Audio Stories for inclusion on the website, using our extensive archive of interviews, offering further insight into what experiencing mental ill-health can be like, as well as advice about coping strategies and healing techniques.

Our aim is to reach vulnerable audiences - people who may themselves be struggling, or care about somebody who is. Reaching for help is not always the first thing that comes to mind when someone is unwell. There is still a lot of shame and stigma surrounding mental illness, despite the gradual move towards more open conversations and shared vocabulary. 

By contributing to our Open Collective, you will help us reach people in need of support and ensure that The Light Inside can play its part in this much wider conversation.

Why a website?

Normally, a short film like ours would be submitted to festivals where it would be put before a filmmaker audience. It might then be put on a streaming service like Vimeo or YouTube, or maybe featured on some popular blogs or, if things went really well, find its way to broadcast. Whilst we intend to pursue all of the above, our reason for wanting to put the film on a website is to enable anyone, anywhere to access it right now, as we deal with the fallout of the pandemic. 

Moreover, our website will feature links to charities and organisations with the expertise to support people in need who, having viewed the film, may feel moved to seek help.  Also, the additional stories you will be helping us to create, will allow visitors to the site to dive deeper into the themes, symptoms and healing techniques that our short film can only touch on.

As soon as the website goes live, all this will be shared as a free online resource that can be used by any mental health service provider, education institution, community group, family or individual going through a tough time.

More than a film.

The Light Inside, from its conception, has been more than just a film. It is an acknowledgment of the increasing number of mental illnesses being experienced by so many of us. It's a film that raises awareness, creates empathy, and reminds us of one of the most important challenges of our generation.

It comes from a deeply personal place for the director, Jesse Daniel Lawrence, who experienced his own challenges early on in his career. We couldn’t have made this film without the support of local and independent mental health charity, Bath Mind, who have partnered us throughout. They are  part of a network of over 100 charities all over the country who will also have access to the film.

Our thanks also to The Victoria Wood Foundation whose generous support made the film possible. Likewise, to our film production Crowdfunders who gave so generously. And lastly, and most importantly, to our contributors for their courage in speaking so candidly about their experiences and for sharing their insights and wisdom.

We hope that you too will feel moved to support The Light Inside as it sets out on this next stage of its journey. Together we can make a difference. Thanks for reading!

See below for details on how to contribute ...

Our thanks to all those who have helped fund the project so far:

View our Production collective here :

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