Racing Thoughts in theatres for Mental Illness Awareness Week

Louiselle Noël’s new film, Racing Thoughts is being screened in cities across Canada this week in conjunction with Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 3-9, 2010). In the film, Louiselle Noël focuses her camera on 4 young people suffering from mental illness and sets out to de-stigmatize their condition. She eschews debates by specialists and concentrates instead on the accounts of David, Blanche-Véronique, Brandon and Erynn, as well as on her own memories of her childhood, when her bipolar disorder began to surface.

Depression, bipolar disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia and other mental illnesses remain taboo despite alarming statistics on mental health among young Canadians. Many people suffer in silence and endure this harsh reality in shame, ignorance or even denial.

An interactive website produced by the NFB was also launched for the occasion: Thoughts Raced In My Head is composed of the artwork and thoughts of Blanche-Véronique Cormier, one of the 4 young people in the film.

As of October 12, the film will be available on DVD through the NFB online store, or by calling 1-800-267-7710.