Hiding in plain sight by Ken Burns
My illustrations appeared in the first part of Ken Burns's new documentary "Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness"
Produced by Ken Burns, Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers are the co-directors, Julie Coffman is the producer, and David Blistein is the writer. The four-hour film is part of the Well Beings Youth Mental Health Project.
Longtime WETA production partner Ken Burns is the executive producer of a major new public television documentary, Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness. The film, which premiered in June 2022, gives voice to the experiences of young people who struggle with mental health challenges and focuses on the importance of awareness and empathy.
The film presents an unvarnished window into daily life with mental health challenges, from seemingly insurmountable obstacles to stories of hope and resilience. Through the experiences of these young people, the film confronts the issues of stigma, discrimination, awareness, and silence, and, in doing so, help advance a shift in the public perception of mental health issues today.
The Storm, the first two-hour episode of Hiding in Plain Sight, focuses on more than twenty young people who provide an intimate look at what it’s like to experience the symptoms of mental illness, from depression to addiction to suicide ideation. The film includes insights from families, providers, and advocates and explores the impact of childhood trauma, stigma, and social media.
In Resilience, the second episode of Hiding in Plain Sight, our “heroes” speak about finding help and inpatient and/or outpatient treatment. It also explores the criminalization of mental illness, tragedy of youth suicide, and “double stigma” that occurs when mental illness is combined with racial or gender discrimination. Throughout, the interviewees demonstrate the power of resiliency and hope.
Streaming on PBS.
Extremely proud and honored to be a part of this project and contribute in a small way to such an important film. I urge you to watch the full film.
