Voices With Impact Virtual Film Festival Raises Awareness On The Mental Health Effects Of Climate Change and Burnout

Voices With Impact teams up with Vancouver International Film Festival and Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival for a week-long virtual film festival.

UNITED STATES, June 23, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — Voices With Impact (VWI), a recognized leader in global film production grants and virtual film festivals, presents its fifth annual short film festival from June 26 to 30, 2023. For the first time, the event features guest programming from Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) and Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF). This year’s Voices With Impact raises the discussion on climate change’s mental health repercussions and the issue and impacts of mental burnout.

Ten newly commissioned short films produced by Voices With Impact and funded by California’s Mental Health Commission will make their world debut on the festival’s opening day. These groundbreaking works, created by an international cohort of grant-winning filmmakers from Canada, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and the U.S., shed light on the intimate relationship between our planet’s health and mental well-being. The film festival will include VIFF’s specially curated shorts program and SMHAF’s short film package.

The premiere lays the groundwork for a week-long immersive dialogue on the intersection of mental health, burnout, and climate change, facilitated by the filmmakers. This collaborative platform invites filmmakers, artists, students, climate justice advocates, mental health professionals, and the public to engage in a transformative exchange of ideas driven by the powerful narratives from the ten debuting films.

With a mission of building the next generation of filmmakers, the festival will host masterclasses curated by Voices With Impact filmmakers and industry mentors. The masterclasses exemplify Voices With Impact’s commitment to empowering emerging artists to continue unfolding critical narratives around mental health and environmental concerns.

“As a filmmaker, finding the space to share your authentic stories can be difficult—Voices With Impact champions impactful fresh narratives. We understand there is power in community; we connect our filmmakers with a network of creatives using art to improve the world.” – Chris Hyde, Festival Director.

Burnout, a pervasive concern, will take center stage during the Voices With Impact festival. The program will feature five captivating short films that offer unique perspectives on burnout, exploring the relentless pursuit of success and the need for balance and self-care.

The five burnout-focused films, “Are You Hungry?” by Rachel Rose and Belen Garcia, “Fortune Cookie” by Fu Yang, “The Otter” by Randy Kelly, “Out Beyond” by Salman Alam Khan, and “Burnt Horizons” by Hao Zhou will captivate audiences and stimulate conversations around the complexities of burnout and its profound impact on mental health.

Voices With Impact will also tackle the pressing issue of climate change and its far-reaching effects on mental health. Five thought-provoking short films, including “Dreams of the Ravaged” by Breech Asher Harani, “Ethical Consumption” by Cassidy Civiero, “The Plastic Horror” by Shenuka Corea, “Carbon Footprint” by Stefie Gan, and “Beyond the Soil” by Jaime Jacobsen and Eric Forbes, will explore the emotional and psychological repercussions of climate change. Through these films, the festival aims to inspire viewers to reflect on our environmental challenges and consider the mental health implications of living in an increasingly uncertain World.

The festival highlights the critical need for mental resilience to confront climate change effectively. We must be mentally equipped to weather the stresses accompanying such a monumental task.

“Art With Impact’s dedication to transformative conversations about mental health across social and political divides requires us to face some of the world’s most difficult problems head-on. Through this year’s topics – the mental health impacts of climate change and the widespread phenomenon of burnout – we have the opportunity to explore, discuss, and ultimately identify personal and community-based solutions for these vast societal issues, creating opportunities for diverse people to come together for the greater good.” – Cary McQueen, Art With Impact Executive Director

Reserve your spot online now at https://voiceswithimpact.eventive.org/welcome. Participate in the vital global conversation on burnout, climate change, and mental health at the fifth annual Voices With Impact festival from June 26 to June 30, 2023.

About Voices With Impact

Voices With Impact is a global film production grant and festival that elevates underrepresented mental health narratives. The grant program annually funds ten filmmakers to create influential short films on various mental health topics. The Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission supports the grant program. These films premiere at the festival, inciting engaging dialogues, Q&As, masterclasses, and performances that foster a more profound comprehension of societal mental health issues.

About Art With Impact

Art With Impact is a nonprofit organization that leverages short films to redefine how young people perceive, discuss, and prioritize their mental health. Our mission is to showcase the transformative power of the arts in advocating for mental health and sparking vital dialogues in Society.

Chris Hyde
Voices With Impact
[email protected]
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