Filmmaker Statement

"Bear" tells the story of a young girl and her struggle with depression, represented by a large, physical bear. In 2020, when the world was turning upside down and mental health was at the forefront of a growing issue among people young and old, I decided to revisit a story I had written a few years prior, make some adjustments, and begin the (what I now know to be a 3 year process) of making it into an animated film. I, and many others might agree, was used to seeing little to no representation of mental health in the media. Especially young adult mental health. I wanted to create a story that talked about mental health, but not in a scary way. Mental health should be destigmatized and it should be something that people feel comfortable talking about.  The film aims to be a metaphorical representation of mental illness, specifically depression, and the silent struggle it can cause for a young person. It’s 8 minutes long, full of color, music, friendship, and heart.