Film director Domenico Di Lillo, in association with Occhi Arts & Entertainment, presents the premiere of The Black Men’s Consortium- a documentary case study following the activities of the Brixton-based community-led arts project exploring mental health services and support. The special screening at 7pm on the 5th December will be followed by a Q&A with invited speakers who will discuss the film, the experiences of BAME communities, and the wider provision of mental health services in the UK.
Mental health is a growing nationwide concern. According to recent Mental Health UK figures, nearly two-thirds of people in the UK (65%) say that they have experienced a mental health problem. This rises to 7 in every 10 women, young adults aged 18-34, and people living alone. More than 4 in 10 people say they have experienced depression and over a quarter of people say they have experienced panic attacks. Coupled with ongoing GP shortages and backlogs in primary and community health services, strides to address these issues are being made but further action is required. Although settings such as schools and community groups can be the key setting for the provision of mental health support, what are the facilitators and barriers for providing assistance?
The young filmmaker Domenico Di Lillo was invited to document the activities of the Black Men’s Consortium, a Brixton-based community-led arts project exploring Mental Health. The consortium is concerned with high rates of mental illness and suicide among young black men. The initiative allows black men’s encounters with local authorities and NHS services to be voiced and shared. The consortium provides opportunities for black men to learn and empower themselves creatively, using visual art, music, poetry, and drama to express their socio-political and health services experiences. Domenico Di Lillo’s documentary follows the initiative’s success, provides testimonials from participants, and presents an insight into the importance the platform plays as a local resource and platform for community mobilisation.
The special screening and Q&A, with special guests, will take place at The Ealing Project on 5th December. The panelists include Director Domenico Di Lillo, Tony Cealy from the Black Men’s Consortium, Mia Morris OBE, from the charity Sound Mind, and representatives of the government and the healthcare sector. The event also includes mental health and wellbeing-themed spoken word performances and an opportunity to network with peers and stakeholders.
Discussing the event, Domenico Di Lillo shares, ‘This film captures current experiences regarding mental health provision and encourages further debate and exploration on how we collectively work to improve the wellbeing of some of society’s most vulnerable’.
The event takes place at The Ealing Project, 1 High St, London W5 5DB from 7 pm on Monday 5th December 2022
For further information please telephone Dom on+44 7415 781992 or email info@occhiarts.com
To book tickets, please visit our eventbrite page.
For further information on The Black Men’s Consortium visit http://theblackmensconsortium.com/
Image by Gaspar Uhas, Digital Artist & Photographer. Image source: https://unsplash.com/@gasparuhas
About Author
