The world is out of control. What about its humans?

Everyone, especially those of us that have pre-existing conditions of the mind, has been feeling the brunt of it. For a long time, but especially lately.

There is nothing wrong with it, though. What’s wrong is when you are not allowed to get the help you desperately need.

Because your insurance doesn’t cover it.
Because there’s no access to the necessary resources.
Because it’s not deemed severe enough.
Because it’s not considered a priority.

We at Supamodu know what it’s like to battle invisible diseases. And we want to make sure that we always lift up the voices of those who address mental illness head-on.

This is the map of the places our minds took us todayβ€”instead of a spiral, thankfully:

There has been talk that after the pandemic is over, many of the medical professionals working at its frontlines will require a similar amount of medical attention to the one soldiers returning from wars receive. Will the demand be fulfilled? PTSD is one of the mental health issues most notoriously swept under the carpet on personal levels and in government settings. β€œThe Red Phallus” is not about the systems addressing PTSD, but is a remarkably taut exploration of what it means to live in the aftermath of trauma when you’re a young woman in Bhutan.

FROM BHUTAN, NEPAL and GERMANY:

Meat, Lust and Madness Against the Bhutanese Greeneryβ€”β€˜The Red Phallus’, dir. Tashi Gyeltshen, 2018

An emotionally intelligent, masterfully arranged film that explores the power-dynamics in Bhutanese society through the eyes of a traumatized, disaffected teenage girl

The Red Phallus, movie poster

Systems that we have in place are pretty bad at handling all kinds of mental health issues. For instance, in the US, they’re an utter disaster, whether you have schizophrenia or manic depression. β€œBedlam” is a heartbreaking but essential documentary that explores the way structures fail people suffering from mental illness through a few very affecting examples, including those from the director himself and the co-founder of Black Lives Matter, Patrisse Cullors.

FROM UNITED STATES:

The Other Pandemicβ€”β€˜Bedlam’, dir. Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, 2019

An unflinching look at the mental illness health crisis that is ravaging the United States in a documentary made by a practicing psychiatrist who has encountered mental illness in his private life

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This pandemic is especially problematic for those who have to be staying at home with close ones because sometimes this means being locked in with the others’ illnessβ€”or exposing them to yours. β€œA Dog Barking at the Moon” is a film about a woman who has to spend time with her deeply unhappy parents as she expects to become a mother herself. Will depression be inherited, or will it make way for a semblance of happiness?

FROM CHINA and SPAIN:

Queerness, Gender Discrimination, and Cults on the Margins of the Chinese Dreamβ€”β€˜A Dog Barking at the Moon’, dir. Lisa Zi Xiang, 2019

A taut, inventive drama dissects how preoccupation with gender fulfillment and marriage in the Chinese society can lead to alienation: an expectant mother rediscovers the misery in her childhood home

A Dog Barking at the Moon, Lisa Zi Xiang, movie poster

We’re not doctors or counselors, so we can’t offer those who are struggling with mental illness right now, any medical help.

But we can offer virtual hugs.

And we can tell you that if you or your close ones are going through an episode right now, you’re not alone.

You’re seen. You’re one of a myriad. You’re one of us.

Together, if we stand across the globe in solidarity and unity, we can make things better.

When systems fail, we’ll catch each other.

Health to all of you, friends. Physical and mental alike.

Hope you enjoy Supamodu and feel compelled to forward this email to your friends.

Thank you for being with us! πŸ’›

β€” Katya Kazbek,
editor-in-chief