For information on where to view Anxious Nation, visit anxiousnation.com
Anxious Nation, a new documentary that takes a deep look into the crisis of anxiety and mental health in America, especially its crippling impact on kids and families, will open in select theaters nationwide and online on May 5, 2023.
The riveting and introspective feature documentary is directed by Academy Award© winner Vanessa Roth (Freeheld), and co-directed, written and produced by 21-time New York Times Bestselling Author and first-time filmmaker, Laura Morton. The film features leading voices and experts of the mental health movement, including Executive Producer Kathy Ireland, Roth, Morton and cast members Tim Storey and Lynn Lyons and many more.
Anxious Nation explores and captures the many faces and facets of anxiety. The film delves into the crisis of mental health and anxiety in America, while focusing on subjects ages 11-26 and their families. This unabashedly honest and insightful film provides audiences with a raw and intimate look into the lives of families and kids grappling with anxiety and the duality of how their parents are trying to understand and help. The filmmakers and Ireland, all moms themselves, tenderly share the vulnerability of these families in an effort to help others who are currently struggling with similar issues in private.
On May 3rd, in partnership with event-based theatrical distributor Area 23a and Lasega Films, Anxious Nation will host a world premiere virtual screening of the film along with an intimate conversation to follow in the Anxious Nation Virtual Cinema, which will feature a “virtual wall” where people can anonymously leave messages 24/7 about how are they are feeling and maintain a true connection with the Anxious Nation community. The event will be moderated by Joan Lunden and will include Kathy Ireland, Tim Storey and other mental health professionals. Moviegoers can access the virtual cinema through www.AnxiousNation.com.
On May 5, the film will open at the Village East (Angelika) in NYC and in Los Angeles at the Leammle Monica Film Center, and will expand into other markets across the nation including Boston, Dallas and more on May 12. It will also be digitally available through the Anxious Nation Virtual Cinema on May 5.
The film premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and has been featured in several other festivals including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, and the Miami International Film Festival. Morton and Roth won the “Fearless Female Filmmaker Award” at the 2022 Coronado Film Festival.
Learn more in this interview:
Why was this documentary created?
It started with a Facebook post I made In 2019: “Kids and anxiety, who is dealing with it?”
I was feeling so defeated as a parent. I thought I was failing my daughter. And I also thought her anxiety struggle was only happening in our home.
If we were struggling, I couldn't imagine how other families were getting through.
While I received a few public posts from friends willing to be open and honest about their struggles on that very public forum, the private messages overwhelmed me. It was as if I gave everyone permission to talk about the 10,000-pound elephant in the room. Suddenly, people I thought I knew well began to share their heartbreaking stories. While each was remarkable and unique, they were also commonplace... too commonplace. So many, like me, were confused and frustrated about where to turn for help. So I set out on this journey to explore anxiety, why it shows up and what we can do about it when it does.
I wanted to help people understand what anxiety is and help each other find solutions.
Why is it important to raise awareness about anxiety?
I can think of many reasons why it's important to raise awareness around the crisis of anxiety, but the best reason is our kids are in crisis. And things are getting worse. According to the CDC data, nearly 3 in 5 or (57%) of US teen girls feel persistently sad or hopeless... a 60% increase and the highest level reported over the past decade and more than half, 52% of LGBTQ+ individuals experienced poor mental health, and 22% attempted suicide in the last year. We have to be able to help our youth cope with anxiety and prepare them with the proper tools so that when they enter adulthood, they don't fall apart in front of our eyes. I don't know any family not struggling with anxiety on some level. When we talk about the hard stuff in life, we take away its power, its control over us. But talking about it isn't enough. We must also take action. And that's why I feel like Anxious Nation is so much more than a movie--it's a movement. Individually, we won't move the mountain. But when we all come together, we can start an army.
How can people learn more about anxiety and have open conversations about mental health?
That’s a great question Bekah, we are really encouraging families to watch Anxious Nation together--or as a community, and to then have open conversations about thier anxiety and mental health struggles. It can serve as a great way to create a common language within homes. Any meaningful change that is going to take place starts at home and it starts with open, non-judgemental conversation.
You’ll see, in the film, we show kids and families from all over the country with different socioeconomic, cultural, and belief systems who bravely share their stories. It was important to us to show the various ways anxiety shows up and impacts our daily lives. One thing I know for sure is anxiety doesn't discriminate. It affects all of us. That's why we also interviewed experts, working with families to help them cope so there would be a plethora of takeaways for the viewers. When people see the film, we hope they know they are not alone. We see you, we hear you and you can learn to harness your anxious energy and use it for good.
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