Polarised is a new short, powerful and much needed documentary about LGBTQ+ young people living in London and suffering from mental illness.
In this ground-breaking documentary, Charlie Smoke, Amy Gunn and their contemporaries explore what it means to be LGBTQ+ and mentally ill at a time when vital services and support are being slashed by austerity economics.
The LGBTQ+ community is disproportionately affected by mental illness.
A study recently showed that LGBTQ+ people are 10 times more likely to attempt suicide at any given point in their lifetimes.
LGBTQ+ people are 3 times more likely to experience anxiety disorders than heterosexuals, and up to 6 times more likely to suffer from depression.
Charlie Smoke, Executive Producer said:
As the Project has progressed, it’s become evident that this isn’t a documentary that will just personally touch our lives. It’s become a vehicle with which to channel the voices of many – those whose voices have been battered down, ignored and lost.
It became evident when we managed to raise over £2,200 in just under two months through our first round of crowd funding. We want to explore what it means to be LGBTQ+ and mentally ill in 2015 and to make ourselves visible. This short film is the start.”
The short film (running time approx. 24 minutes) can be viewed on KitschMix.TV
The project has also announced ‘The Polarised Glitter Ball’, an evening of drag, burlesque, comedy and queer performance on the 21st November at The Good Ship in Kilburn to raise vital funds for the production of the feature documentary. Tickets can be bought here
