Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 15-24 October 2011

A series of poignant, challenging and uplifting films focusing on themes of memories, sleep and dreams starts at the Edinburgh Filmhouse tomorrow Saturday 15 October 2011 as part of this year’s Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival

This unique film season sees each film accompanied by a live q and a hosted by Eddie Harrison, Director of the Film Strand. The series begins this weekend with Ken Loach’s Looking For Eric. Scripted by Paul Laverty, this film takes an upbeat look at overcoming depression as postman Eric (Steve Evets) seeks help from his footballing hero Eric Cantona. The following day, Sarah Polley’s Oscar-nominated drama Away From Her features Julie Christie in an adaptation of Alice Munro’s short story. Polley’s film is about how a woman’s experience of Alzheimer’s changes her life, and how she relates to her husband Grant (Gordon Pinsent).

On Wednesday, two films about Britain’s greatly loved comic Norman Wisdom shed some light onto the subject of dementia. Norman Wisdom: His Story is a documentary about Wisdom’s career, while Wonderland : The Secret Life of Norman Wisdom Aged 92 ¾ describes the dilemma that Wisdom’s family faced when faced with putting him in a care home. Another Oscar-nominated performance, this time by Richard Jenkins, illuminates the subject of migration in The Visitor, as a college professor’s conscience is awakened by an encounter with a young couple from another culture.

The season ends at the weekend two films, firstly Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar-winning drama The Hurt Locker, which looks at the subject of post-traumatic stress disorder. And then there’s Bill Forsyth’s Local Hero, with Burt Lancaster playing an oil-man whose memories of a Scottish village change the course of its history.

The film season at the Filmhouse culminates in the prestigious Film Awards Ceremony on Monday 24^th where both homegrown and international filmmakers receive awards for their winning films, entered into the annual SMHAFF International Film Submission. To find out more please visit www.mhfestival.com or visit their Facebook page.