Directing Change Student Film Contest

The Directing Change Student Film Contest, presented by Each Mind Matters, is now accepting submissions.

"The Directing Change Program and Film Contest was launched as a demonstration initiative as part of Each Mind Matters: California’s Mental Health Movement funded by the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63) and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities...

The Directing Change Program and Film Contest engages students and young people throughout California to learn about the topics of suicide prevention and mental health in an innovative way: a film contest.

Students from K-12 can submit a 60-second film about the signs of suicide or mental illness. Contestants will be provided with educational tools and resources to learn about the basic components of suicide prevention. Contestants must apply this suicide prevention knowledge to formulate and create their own unique message about suicide prevention for their peers. The creative process of filmmaking requires youth to synthesize their knowledge resulting in a deeper level of understanding.   Directing Change, integrates sound pedagogical principles into the filmmaking process so that participants are engaged via all methods of the “learning spectrum”: to see, experience, discuss, and apply. Youth are challenged to critically analyze key components of suicide prevention and how best to communicate these in their films.  Once created films are used in schools and communities to raise awareness and start conversations about these topics." (directingchangeca.org)

Visit www.directingchangeca.org for more information and contest rules. 

Submissions are due March 1, 2018.