Mental health of youth a cause for concern, says Thara of SCARF

SCARF's Frame of Mind film festival in Chennai focused on mental health, featuring winning films and insightful discussions.

The 11th edition of the Frame of Mind film festival was organised by Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) on the theme ‘Mental Health - Then and Now,’ at the Madras School of Social Work, in Chennai, on Saturday.

Speaking at the event, film director and member of the jury Vignesh Raja said, “Art evokes empathy. It gives us the opportunity to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and see the world through their lens.”

The winning films were chosen on the basis of being scientifically correct, adherence to time limit and theme. The first place went to Kshitji Mudgal for his film Karna, second place to Aishwarya Raksha for Aval and the third place to Shubam Pandav for Whispers of Shadow. A special mention was made to films Review and Mental Health Awareness by Smriti Baskar and Abhay.P respectively. The winners received cash prizes, certificates and a trophy. The film J Baby by Suresh Mari was screened, followed by a panel discussion.

Distributing the prizes at the event, actor Ashok Selvan said, “Whatever we do, the intention behind the action matters. Anything we do with a good intention; the result would come out in a very effective way.”

Mental illness occurs due to various reasons and when a person with mental illness is identified in a family, a member of the family has to take the leadership role to ensure that they get the required care, said V.Sridhar, psychiatrist.

Pointing out that mental health in youth has taken a dip, vice-chairman of SCARF R. Thara said, “Mental healthcare has made a lot of progress. However there is a dip in the mental health of youth with the rise in cases of anxiety, loneliness, and stress. The screen time has increased with interaction between fellow humans decreasing.”