SA short film Voicenote, which deals with mental health issues, has been shortlisted for an international award.
Directed by Talya Galasko, the film is tipped to win The Young Director Award (YDA), an award dedicated to rising young directors. The film was shortlisted from 153 films watched by the judges worldwide. The winner will be announced tomorrow.
The six-minute story is told through actor Thapelo Marapofela, a young man struggling with depression and anxiety. Galasko said the film was commissioned by Hope Guardians, a non-profit organisation aimed at giving young people suffering from depression and mental health free access to therapy.
She said the making of Voicenote was a nurturing and collaborative effort on the part of young creatives, most of who suffer from anxiety, depression and other forms of mental illness.
“I’m grateful that this film will reach viewers globally, but more than that, I’m thankful that with our YDA nomination, it will shine a spotlight on Hope Guardians,” Galasko said.
"If we can get someone who relate to our onscreen characters and can get them to question, self-assess and challenge their assumptions around mental illness, then we’ve done our job," she said.
Apart from screening at different international festivals, Voicenote was also handpicked by video hosting and sharing platform Vimeo as one of the best short films on the internet.
Hope Guardian’s founder Ben Tuttle said for Voicenote to be shortlisted for the Young Director's Award “it is really great news and would help the NPO in its work to banish the stigma around mental health.
"Our broader vision is to collaborate with other mental health providers, to amplify the message and create a movement which will help us offer thousands of young people free weekly one-to-one therapy."
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