Andy suspects a dangerous town shooter is on the loose in his hometown. Upon learning the shooter’s identity, he uncovers a much darker conspiracy brewing around the girl he loves. As Andy’s behaviors at school become more irrational, his single mother, Angela, struggles to find and afford the professional care he needs. When Andy’s mental health worsens, the story crescendos with a tragic ending at the local high school.
Gravitas Ventures will be released across North America (USA & Canada) on all TVOD/Digital platforms through Gravitas Ventures on December 19th, 2023
This movie was disturbing in the sense that it was relentlessly truthful in its presentation of the real issue of mental illness. It’s hard to praise a movie that leaves you sad and feeling helpless about how to deal with what are very difficult circumstances. But I still give this film a five-star rating not only for its intelligent portrayal of a serious subject matter but the acting and cinematography were also remarkable.
Jance Enslin was very impressive and did a wonderful portrayal of young Andy as did Carly Pope who played Andy’s mother. Two amazing performances. The cinematography was captivating and this movie held my attention one hundred percent from beginning to end.
“The Mental State” Scene Clip –Entitled Crash:
The multi-award-winning, intense and thought-provoking “The Mental State,” playwright Josh Adell’s acclaimed play adapted by prolific director James Camali (“A Fatal Obsession,” “And The Heavens Must Have Cried”), and starring Jance Enslin (“First Love,” Truth Be Told”), Carly Pope (“Elysium,” “The Collector”), Alyssa Sutherland (“Evil Dead Rise,” “Vikings”), Bryan Greenberg (“How To Make It In America,” “Prime”), Alison Thornton (“Dare Me,” “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce”), William Popp (“Bros,” “Time After Time”), Nathan Wallace (“Chicago P.D.,” “The Blacklist”), and William R. Moses (“NCIS,” “Mystic Pizza”). Gravitas Ventures releasing across North America (USA & Canada) on all TVOD/Digital platforms through Gravitas Ventures on December 19th, 2023.
Having won best feature, actor, and director at more than half a dozen film festivals and screened at nearly two dozen well-respected festivals, “The Mental State,” is a tense, honest look at so many of the issues plaguing America today, filled with powerful performances and a heartbreaking story. A high school senior from rural Kentucky and his family struggle to cope with his recent severe mental health crisis.
A complex character study the film is a cinematic sibling to “The Secret Window,” “A Beautiful Mind, ” “Donnie Darko,” and “Elephant.” Directed and edited by James Camali (“A Fatal Obsession,” “And The Heavens Must Have Cried”); as well as co-written by Jeremy Barclay (“Binary, “The Garden”), Joshua Barclay (“Gary,” “A Fatal Obsession”), and James Camali; and produced by Matt Einstein (“Power,” 300: Rise of An Empire”), Ronnee Swenton (”Feed the Homeless,” “A Fatal Obsession”), and Glen Trotiner (“Morbius,” “Independence Day”); edited by Alexis Evelyn (“All Through the House,” “Poseidon”), Ronnee Swenton, and James Camali; cinematography Ronnee Swenton; by with a score composed by Miles Senzaki (“War Path,” “Fog City”).
Filmmaker Camali has additionally volunteered for over twenty years, for children and adults with disabilities as well as behavioral and mental health issues. After connecting with this community and their family members, he came to realize that very few circumstances separate his life from theirs. As years have passed, healthcare and treatment for all communities – specifically mental health – has become a central focus of American discourse.
From the community that he volunteers with to his friends and family, he has seen what happens when a person living with a mental illness receives the assistance they need. He has also had glimpses of what happens when they do not. Many who live with mental illness have struggled along rocky roads to a stable life. Challenges along the way were often due to the broken healthcare system as well as the lack of empathy and support around them. This helped inspire the film and we hope inspires further conversations.