Awards Put the Spotlight on a Range of Mental Health Issues

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2011 ATOM Awards Finalists Put the Spotlight on a Range of Mental Health Issues

MELBOURNE – Monday 19 September, 2011

Recent media coverage focused on the challenges facing mental health services note that there seems to be greater community awareness and acceptance of the fact that certain mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are common in today’s society, yet are treatable.

The Sydney Morning Herald recently reported, “While it is often reported that one in five will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, state-funded mental health services primarily respond to the much smaller number of people with severe illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder and to people experiencing a crisis or acute episode.”

A number of finalists in the 2011 ATOM Awards program have pointed their cameras at a wide range of mental health and wellbeing issues, with the result being an array of impressive, thoughtful and thought provoking insights into the mental health issues that exist in today’s society.

“Each year, the ATOM Awards program receives submissions that show a focus and give a ‘call to action’ message regarding a mental health or well being issue. This reflects the long tradition of commitment by documentary film makers to explore and express views and insights into social and community relevant issues and the interests of young, student filmmakers in exploring their experiences that are otherwise often not acknowledged,” said Simon Wilmot, ATOM Awards Executive Officer.

“Media in all its various manifestations is the most significant cultural form with which young Australians are engaged. It is a locus of young people’s learning and communicating about the world in which they live. The ATOM Awards provides special access to processes that engage with and circulate ideas.”

As such, it’s encouraging to see so many students and professional film makers alike turn their eye, their minds and their cameras to a wide range of mental health issues and in doing so, open the conversation for our community to be more aware of and more accepting of mental health issues,” he added.

2011 ATOM Awards Best Tertiary Documentary finalist Elizabeth Pallot of WA University explores the world of autism with her documentary ‘Bigger Than My Boots’. At only 14 months of age, parents Megan and Colin knew that there was something wrong with Daniel. At first they thought he was deaf – they weren’t sure – they just knew that there was just something different about him. They later found out that their son was autistic.

Studies have shown 1 in 160 Australians have an Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – which includes autistic disorder, Asperger’s disease and atypical autism. ‘Bigger Than My Boots’ cleverly uses footage from the intensive therapy Daniel underwent when he was 1 to 2 years of age and explores the ways in which his autism has impacted the lives of everyone in his family, as well as his own.

“Before we made this documentary, my knowledge of autism was limited to its portrayal in books and on TV. While our hours spent filming the Robinson family allowed a greater understanding of this condition, the impact that such a diagnosis has on an entire family also became very apparent to me. While the affects of Daniel’s autism are far reaching and on going, the Robinson family is perhaps one of the most generous families I have had the pleasure of meeting, allowing us into their home and sharing their story with us,” said Elizabeth Pallot.

An inspiring documentary, ‘Bigger Than My Boots’ explores the concept of what it is to be part of a family, how important family is in the life of a child and sensitively takes the viewer into the world of autism.

2011 ATOM Awards finalist in Best Documentary Science, Technology and the Environment, ‘The Silent Epidemic’ explores the relatively unknown and socially misunderstood world of self harm. In 2008, Professor Graham Martin conducted The Australian National Epidemiological Study of Self-Injury, with results showing that 1.1% of the Australian population in the four weeks prior to the study being conducted and 8% of the Australian population in their lifetime had engaged in deliberate self-harm.

The Silent Epidemic sheds a light on the groundbreaking scientific research that may help the 200,000 Australians who are currently engaging in self-harm behaviour. The documentary follows some of Australia’s leading mental health experts on their pioneering quest for answers to self-harm, highlighting the extraordinary stories of three young Australians who each have first-hand experience of self-harm and looking at the neurological processes that could help to explain this often misunderstood illness.

The Silent Epidemic effectively challenges the conventional documentary science narrative genre by interweaving ground-breaking scientific experiments and research with the personal journeys of young Australians in a quest to help them overcome their self-harming behaviours.

A finalist in both Best Tertiary Education Video Resource and Best Instructional / Training Video Resource, 2011 ATOM Awards production, ‘Response Ability’ has been developed specifically to support the training of teachers and early childhood professionals in relation to mental health issues and the wellbeing of children and young people.

‘Response Ability’ is designed to promote optimal social and emotional development to support mental health and wellbeing; contribute to the prevention of mental health problems and support the early intervention for children experiencing emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties. The resource contains a number of ‘trigger films’ which use a unique blend of observational documentary, improvisation and scripted drama conveyed by a combination of professional actors, teachers, carers and preschool children.

“The Australian Teachers of Media hope that our media community continues to use this important tool to explore, encourage thought and dialogue about such important and community impacting issues as mental health,” Mr Wilmot concluded.

The 2011 ATOM Awards winners will be announced at the 2011 ATOM Awards Night, which will be held at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne on Friday 21 October, 2011.

The 2011 ATOM Awards program is presented by ATOM.

The 2011 ATOM Awards is sponsored and supported by Aurora Community Channel, Swinburne University, Madman, Encore Magazine, Griffith University, Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, Deakin University, AFTRS, Federation Square Melbourne, ScreenHub, Quest Collins Street Central, Wide Angle, Qpix, Inside Film, Metro Magazine, Screen Education Magazine, Northbridge Piazza - City of Perth, Scotch College, Big Mouth Marketing Communications, Australian Directors Guild, Screen Producers Association of Australia, Screenworks, Film Making Summer School, Australian Short Films, Screen ACT, Film & Television Institute WA, Australian College QED, VCA School of Film and Television, ASPERA, Australian Screen Editors and the New Zealand Film Commission.

The 2011 ATOM Awards is funded by Film Victoria and the South Australian Film Corporation.

For more information about the 2011 ATOM Awards please visit www.atomawards.org

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