Small London-based theatre company Shadow Road Productions founded the UNBROKEN Mental Health Awareness Festival in 2016 with the main aim of increasing awareness of the issues, reducing the stigma surrounding them by opening up the conversation, and confounding expectations as to what a production about 'mental health' might involve!
In 2017 we launched the UNBROKEN Short Film Prize, so that we could encourage the exploration of the vital issue of mental health via yet another art form. The range and quality of entries we received was very exciting and has continued to grow since then.
Due to the current pandemic the 2020 UNBROKEN Short Film festival took place digitally, with audiences being able to view the selected shortlist online and vote for their favourite! Opening up this festival so more people could see the final shortlisted films was a huge success, with over 1,000 people watching and voting for their favourite.
The 2021 festival will continue this digital element - hopefully with an in person event for people to attend as well and watch the chosen films all together, but this will be dependent on how the pandemic unfolds.
We hope that a number of film makers - young & not so young, first timers & old hands, those with experience of the issues & those with an interest - will once again feel inspired by the subject matter and the freedom they have to explore it.
The winning film will receive £100 and the runner up will receive £50. A £25 Audience's Choice prize will also be awarded - audience members will be able to watch the shortlisted films and vote for their favourite. These awards and prizes will be announced on 10th October - World Mental Health Day .