I love that we have so many powerful female filmmakers this year, and the short film Well(ness) is by women and about women and their mental health. I also love that we’re ending the festival with a dramedy, which is not something audiences always connect with a film festival about mental health. But yes, you can be both funny and sad, irreverent and realistic, when it comes to the topic of mental health. Writer/director Mary Lou Sandler and her cast and crew, who all seem like they’re having the time of their lives, prove this in Well(ness).
Well(ness) fires off some good laughs–especially in the first act of the film, which parodies self-help culture, women’s retreats, and wise gurus. It’s hard to keep a satirical comedy from becoming either too broad or too insular, but the film always manages to stay grounded in a very real and relevant message about the commodification of quick-fix mental health cures. The heart of the film is when the women “get real” and cut through the facade of the healing circle format to confess some of their most deep-seated fears and worries. The chemistry among the actresses is electric, and it feels so true to those moments when someone becomes open and vulnerable, giving others the permission and the freedom to do the same.
Mary Lou Sandler and the Well(ness) team have crafted a crowd-pleasing comedy about the “culture of curated calm.” Most thrilling of all, we are hosting them as our very special guests closing out the festival on Saturday night, October 10th, World Mental Health Day! Joining us for a post-film discussion will be Mary Lou Sandler, writer, director, producer, and actor and Justin Sandler, producer, editor, and first assistant director. The Sandlers are married and are business partners at 3 cubed studios, LLC.
Don’t miss our grand finale with Well(ness) on 10/10, World Mental Health Day!
There is a fantastic comprehensive website for Well(ness) at https://www.3cubedstudios.com/wellnesshortfilm
Get your free tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/mental-filmness-54312030423
