Another Day to Stay Alive is among the most specific and unique mental health topics in terms of subject matter I have seen. It is about a non-Japanese mixed race man born and raised in Japan, yet never fully accepted into the society he was born into because of his appearance. Feeling like he doesn’t belong anywhere leads to deep depression and suicidal thoughts, which lead to him sharing his feelings with his family through an unexpected announcement. The film was written and directed by Cyrus Nozomu Sethna, who is bilingual/bicultural born and raised in Japan, mastering both English and Japanese, which accounts for its authentic portrayal of some niche issues.
There’s a lot to admire about Another Day to Stay Alive. The script and acting are compelling and successfully walk a line between dark humor and unexpected warmth. There are so many different aspects of mental health I’ve rarely seen explored in a film, like the feeling of residency and belonging, or stereotypes of gender and race and where they overlap. What really made this a gem for me though was the culminating idea that we can accept, love, and want to help and support someone experiencing a mental health crisis even without understanding the very specific thing that they are experiencing.
Another Day to Stay Alive plays Friday evening, 10/9, at Mental Filmness.
Get your free tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/mental-filmness-54312030423
