The polar bear has become a universal symbol of (bi)-polar disorder. I think it’s more than just the name–as animator Marjan Entezar explains in this interview with Beatrice Wong, polar bears are so cute and endearing that they’re a great avenue to explore a mental illness that seems dark and scary to many people.
Marjan Entezar is open about living with bipolar disorder and her own purpose behind the animated short was increasing awareness and reducing stigma, which perfectly aligns with the mission of this festival. The film is short and clearly metaphorical in its pull between stark lightness and darkness. However, there is an intentional choice on the part of the filmmaker that should not go unmentioned–at one point there is a bottle of lithium pictured. The role of medication in bipolar disorder in particular is sometimes hotly contested, with many maintaining that people with the diagnosis must stay on medication forever or risk the devastating highs and lows of mania and depression. Marjan comments upon her experience with medication here as well, which is something that literally and figuratively brings this short short down to earth.
Huge thanks to our jury member Beatrice Wong for another fantastic interview, and to Marjan Entezar for being brave enough to share her experience with her diagnosis of bipolar disorder and this film! Also, the atmospheric music in this interview was provided courtesy of Yuhang.
You can *definitely* watch The Polar Bear—at its three-minute mark, you have the time! The Polar Bear | Shorts Block No. 3 | Mental Filmness 2025 Virtual Festival
Check out this interview with Beatrice Wong and director Marjan Entezar, and cast your virtual ballot to tell us what YOU think!