For a long time, blockbuster formulas, linear plot lines, and traditional narratives were the keys to successful cinema. But soon enough, the industry realized that it needed to evolve. From new techniques to different plot lines, filmmakers experimented with formats, styles, and storytelling. Cinema slowly but steadily became more inclusive. Young, independent filmmakers now use the medium to make contemporary films that push the boundaries of form and action.
Films do not revolve around romance or drama anymore. Visual storytelling has developed in a manner where mode, tone, and interiority are given equal importance as action or dialogue. Indie filmmakers are pursuing taboo topics, and the audience welcomes them with an open heart. Mental health, often a subplot, is now a central hook that drives the entire narrative, indicating that the audience is looking for reflection, not escapism.
Another aspect of this growth is that indie filmmakers have started to use the medium as a means of psychological healing. It’s a way for these filmmakers to make mental health issues less stigmatized and have more open discussions about topics like anxiety, trauma, grief, and personal transformations through raw and real stories.
This shift is not just anecdotal. In recent years, we have seen a significant rise in stories that matter. These films resonate with the audience on an intimate level despite being made on low budgets and basic cameras. Conversations about mental health and healing are happening on a larger level, and the attempt by indie filmmakers to make this issue less taboo is worth noting.
Recently, the National Institute of Mental Health issued a report that stated that “more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness.” As many as 59.3 million adults aged 18 or older have mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders. The numbers are alarming, but the improved access to therapy, online resources, and peer support groups proves that the younger generation is more likely to seek help in such situations.
This openness to seeking help has translated into movies as well. Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby (2020) is a perfect example of this. Starring Rachel Sennott as Danielle, the film is tightly constructed around anxiety. Through the lens of the protagonist’s life, the director talks about the anxiety of being in your 20s and figuring out life while struggling with personal issues, career aspirations, and family expectations. The movie’s claustrophobic visuals, intense tone, and pace tap deeply into the feelings of panic and unrest, making the content relatable.
Films like Shiva Baby are also being made because of accessibility. Indie filmmakers are receiving more financial backing and distribution opportunities than in the past. They’re also getting scrappy, using basic tools and software like YouTube or other OTT platforms to create and share their stories, and social media effectively promotes their films in lieu of large marketing budgets.
A notable example is Megan Park’s feature directorial debut, The Fallout (2021). The film premiered at South by Southwest in March 2021 and was released on HBO Max by New Line Cinema in January 2022. The drama revolves around Jenna Ortega’s character, Vada Cavell, a high school student who experiences trauma in the aftermath of a school shooting. The way Park explores the theme of teenage grief and agony with quiet, intimate moments is beautiful. The dissociation that often comes with trauma is reflected through its cinematography and editing. Movies like The Fallout act as a window into the society we live in. It discusses topics that need attention and, in a way, addresses mental health issues that people may be too afraid to talk about. Storylines like these provide reassurance and a medium to showcase what it is like to be in such a situation. Now, more and more young filmmakers are testing the theme.
On the experimental end of this spectrum, films like HUSH | Help Us Say Help (2022) are plunging into discussing issues deeply rooted in a particular community. Directed by Antwon Lindsey, his 76-minute documentary talks about a relatively secluded topic. The story revolves around the “origins of generational trauma” and “access to mental health resources” within Black communities. Shot on a minimal budget with the backing of a production house called A38 Films. The film acts as both a psychological spectacle and a coming-of-age story. But there’s more to these films than just being a mirror of our world.
A study suggests that storytelling through visual media can help process trauma and enhance mental well-being. A 2024 study published in PubMed Central states that creativity simultaneously has “consequences on the inner self, leading to strengthening of self and inner resilience, validation and enhancement of esteem, relief from pain and distress, and restoration of order.” This medium helps not only the viewers but also the people behind the camera.
To showcase anxiety, a filmmaker may use jump cuts or distorted audio. To show grief, one may use desaturated colors or a slow pace. These choices are not just stylistic but conscious decisions that filmmakers take to reflect intimate experiences.
Filmmakers use visuals to illustrate mental health struggles in ways that spoken language cannot convey. Using unique soundscapes, symbolic imagery, and nonlinear timelines, filmmakers can showcase emotions that they may have felt. Through films, they talk about their feelings or express what it felt like to be in that moment, which helps them process their trauma effectively.
A great example is A24’s Aftersun (2022), a film that follows an 11-year-old girl who is on holiday with her father on his 31st birthday. Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells examined her relationship with her father through the narrative. She told The Guardian, “Whatever I’m exorcising with my own past is still the core of the film. The emotion of the film and the grief expressed is mine. And that’s a really easy thing to admit because, as I said, this to me was a form of expression and that is what I was ultimately expressing.”
Aftersun had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, indicating how movie festivals welcome films that have a focus on mental health. Major film festivals like Sundance, Tribeca, and SXSW, as well as events like the Mental Health Film Festival, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, and the Reel Mind Film Festival, provide a stage for such creative works and give them a boost.
The boom has given birth to concepts like “failure TV,” “quiet films,” and “being seen,” which reflects how viewers are seeking out films/shows that showcase real-life emotional challenges. Authenticity holds more importance than spectacles. The medium has become a portal for viewers to share their experiences with like-minded audiences. By being unpretentious about their struggles, artists are helping others to heal.
This peak of therapy-driven filmmaking suggests a comprehensive cultural shift. These films are transparent and emotional. The storylines are honest, helping redefine what storytelling can do. Here’s hope that this notion will continue and that more filmmakers embrace this topic, introducing raw and honest films to audiences.
This story first ran in NYOTA’s Art is Life Issue. Read more from the issue here and purchase a print copy here
