About This Event
The Mental Health Warrior Film Festival features independent films from around the world that explore topics relating to mental health. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience a variety of short and feature-length films, hear directly from filmmakers, and engage in conversations that encourage understanding and compassion.
Event Details
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Venue: Flix Brewhouse Madison
Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Block 1: 1:00-4:30
Through My Eyes
Social anxiety feels scary, frightening, and claustrophobic. It’s brutal, and I hope that someone watching this knows that it’s real and affects millions. From Australia
Manuel
A teenager joins an artistic group for the first time while facing the fear of not being accepted. From Argentina
Beg Yah A Call
Omar is adjusting to life overseas. A call from back home changes everything. From Jamaica
(un)withered
After returning from a trip to her home country, Myanmar, Pann struggles to readjust to her routine in Singapore, weighed down by an unknown pain. When the white lily, which her mother left in her care, begins to wither, she becomes fixated on saving it. As her obsession grows, suppressed emotions emerge, and lost memories resurface, forcing her to confront the root of the pain she has been carrying. From Singapore
Lock The Door Behind you
After Lexi realizes she left her front door unlocked, paranoia sets in and she can't help but wonder if someone is hiding in her house, waiting to attack. The filmmaker is from Madisn
Turn my God #$#@# Mind off
Turn My Goddamn Mind Off is a gripping documentary about Clint Malarchuk — the Canadian NHL star who spent decades battling severe depression, PTSD, and addiction while hiding his illness behind the stigma of “tough masculinity.” The film follows his journey from a traumatic childhood and a near-fatal on-ice accident, through suicide attempts — including the shocking moment he survived a gunshot under his chin — to his rebirth as one of sports’ leading mental-health advocates.
A Reason
This film is about a suicidal man who is given a second chance at life when a compassionate pawnshop owner offers him an unusual choice: a gun or a cookbook. In the process, he finds passion, romance, heartbreak, and a genuine sense of purpose.
Evergreen
Paul, a young autistic man, struggles to process his father's terminal cancer diagnosis while haunted by Ever Green—a character from a Hollywood autism film he despises. Through therapy sessions and painful memories, Paul confronts his grief, his strained relationship with his father, and society's stereotypical portrayals of autism. A raw exploration of neurodiversity, family dysfunction, and the Hollywood gaze on disability. Filmmaker is attending
Happy Birthday
"Happy Birthday" follows Rae, a teenage girl, as she navigates the tension between healing and relapse in eating disorder recovery. This film aims to shed light on struggles with body image, toxic diet culture, and disordered eating.
The Dinosaur
After visiting his terminally ill sister, a man watches as her fading memories take physical form, leading her through fragments of a life she can no longer fully remember. As past and present begin to intertwine, one final memory offers a chance for connection before it’s too late.
Save Me
Simone struggling to cope after her husband, Reggie, is critically injured in a car accident. Haunted by the feelings of guilt and the belief that her own desires lead to the tragedy, Simone, is driven to the brink of despair. Despite her pain, she attempts to maintain normalcy for her young daughter, Ava, whose innocent love proves brief flickers of light in her darkest hour.
When the weight of her grief becomes unbearable, Simone reaches out to a crisis hotline. She connects with Andrea, a newly trained operator who is fighting her own quiet war as a recovering alcoholic. Andrea provides the deep empathy and support Simone needs to survive.
Their conversation becomes a journey toward healing, exploring how one compassionate act and the willingness to ask for help can pull a life back from the edge.
Block 2: 5:30-9:30
Things With Feathers
A surrealist exploration of struggling with hope, despair, and what exists between them. Told through the eyes of a narrator’s experience with two mysterious creatures in her life.
Dialectic
Tessa becomes increasingly distracted by her intrusive thoughts and internal judgement to them. Personified as a devilish bug and anxious moth, the conflicting voices in her head steal her attention from things she enjoys, until she pushes herself to break the cycle
Tri For Hope
TRI FOR HOPE documents Brandon Hillaker’s extraordinary 400-mile personal triathlon across Michigan, journeying from Hell to Paradise. Over 96 grueling hours, Brandon bikes 330 miles, swims 5 miles, and runs 65 miles to shatter mental health stigma and offer hope to those battling suicidal ideation. Having survived a suicide attempt in 2013, Brandon spent years rebuilding his life through recovery and advocacy, later founding the Delta College Green Ribbon Initiative. This intimate documentary captures the intense mental and physical effort of his trek and the profound internal purpose driving it, proving that the path out of personal darkness is forged through resilience, open conversation, and community.
Phone Tag
The lifelong friendship of two young men is tested as they each struggle in silence. Texts they exchange and the messages they type and delete reveal what they cannot bring themselves to say. Their efforts to hide their pain unravel after a tragedy exposes the cost of their silence.
Stage Frightened
A timid high school boy pursues his dream to perform in musical theater but is haunted by a mysterious cloaked figure that does all it can to stop him.
Afterglow
A group of parkour athletes explore their shared history. Looking at how emotions and mindsets are challenged, Afterglow explores themes of trauma and the youth experience of trying to find belonging. How do friendships shape us and what does it mean to grow up? Filmed in and around Beloit.
Disclaimer: The Mental Health Warrior Film Festival is supported by NAMI Wisconsin as part of our commitment to increasing mental health awareness through storytelling and community engagement. While NAMI Wisconsin supports the festival, we have not reviewed or endorsed the individual films selected for screening. The views, opinions, and portrayals expressed in these films are those of the filmmakers and may not reflect the positions, values, or perspectives of NAMI Wisconsin. Film content is presented to encourage dialogue and exploration of diverse experiences related to mental health.
About This Event
The Mental Health Warrior Film Festival features independent films from around the world that explore topics relating to mental health. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience a variety of short and feature-length films, hear directly from filmmakers, and engage in conversations that encourage understanding and compassion.
Event Details
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Venue: Flix Brewhouse Madison
Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Block 1: 1:00-4:30
Through My Eyes
Social anxiety feels scary, frightening, and claustrophobic. It’s brutal, and I hope that someone watching this knows that it’s real and affects millions. From Australia
Manuel
A teenager joins an artistic group for the first time while facing the fear of not being accepted. From Argentina
Beg Yah A Call
Omar is adjusting to life overseas. A call from back home changes everything. From Jamaica
(un)withered
After returning from a trip to her home country, Myanmar, Pann struggles to readjust to her routine in Singapore, weighed down by an unknown pain. When the white lily, which her mother left in her care, begins to wither, she becomes fixated on saving it. As her obsession grows, suppressed emotions emerge, and lost memories resurface, forcing her to confront the root of the pain she has been carrying. From Singapore
Lock The Door Behind you
After Lexi realizes she left her front door unlocked, paranoia sets in and she can't help but wonder if someone is hiding in her house, waiting to attack. The filmmaker is from Madisn
Turn my God #$#@# Mind off
Turn My Goddamn Mind Off is a gripping documentary about Clint Malarchuk — the Canadian NHL star who spent decades battling severe depression, PTSD, and addiction while hiding his illness behind the stigma of “tough masculinity.” The film follows his journey from a traumatic childhood and a near-fatal on-ice accident, through suicide attempts — including the shocking moment he survived a gunshot under his chin — to his rebirth as one of sports’ leading mental-health advocates.
A Reason
This film is about a suicidal man who is given a second chance at life when a compassionate pawnshop owner offers him an unusual choice: a gun or a cookbook. In the process, he finds passion, romance, heartbreak, and a genuine sense of purpose.
Evergreen
Paul, a young autistic man, struggles to process his father's terminal cancer diagnosis while haunted by Ever Green—a character from a Hollywood autism film he despises. Through therapy sessions and painful memories, Paul confronts his grief, his strained relationship with his father, and society's stereotypical portrayals of autism. A raw exploration of neurodiversity, family dysfunction, and the Hollywood gaze on disability. Filmmaker is attending
Happy Birthday
"Happy Birthday" follows Rae, a teenage girl, as she navigates the tension between healing and relapse in eating disorder recovery. This film aims to shed light on struggles with body image, toxic diet culture, and disordered eating.
The Dinosaur
After visiting his terminally ill sister, a man watches as her fading memories take physical form, leading her through fragments of a life she can no longer fully remember. As past and present begin to intertwine, one final memory offers a chance for connection before it’s too late.
Save Me
Simone struggling to cope after her husband, Reggie, is critically injured in a car accident. Haunted by the feelings of guilt and the belief that her own desires lead to the tragedy, Simone, is driven to the brink of despair. Despite her pain, she attempts to maintain normalcy for her young daughter, Ava, whose innocent love proves brief flickers of light in her darkest hour.
When the weight of her grief becomes unbearable, Simone reaches out to a crisis hotline. She connects with Andrea, a newly trained operator who is fighting her own quiet war as a recovering alcoholic. Andrea provides the deep empathy and support Simone needs to survive.
Their conversation becomes a journey toward healing, exploring how one compassionate act and the willingness to ask for help can pull a life back from the edge.
Block 2: 5:30-9:30
Things With Feathers
A surrealist exploration of struggling with hope, despair, and what exists between them. Told through the eyes of a narrator’s experience with two mysterious creatures in her life.
Dialectic
Tessa becomes increasingly distracted by her intrusive thoughts and internal judgement to them. Personified as a devilish bug and anxious moth, the conflicting voices in her head steal her attention from things she enjoys, until she pushes herself to break the cycle
Tri For Hope
TRI FOR HOPE documents Brandon Hillaker’s extraordinary 400-mile personal triathlon across Michigan, journeying from Hell to Paradise. Over 96 grueling hours, Brandon bikes 330 miles, swims 5 miles, and runs 65 miles to shatter mental health stigma and offer hope to those battling suicidal ideation. Having survived a suicide attempt in 2013, Brandon spent years rebuilding his life through recovery and advocacy, later founding the Delta College Green Ribbon Initiative. This intimate documentary captures the intense mental and physical effort of his trek and the profound internal purpose driving it, proving that the path out of personal darkness is forged through resilience, open conversation, and community.
Phone Tag
The lifelong friendship of two young men is tested as they each struggle in silence. Texts they exchange and the messages they type and delete reveal what they cannot bring themselves to say. Their efforts to hide their pain unravel after a tragedy exposes the cost of their silence.
Stage Frightened
A timid high school boy pursues his dream to perform in musical theater but is haunted by a mysterious cloaked figure that does all it can to stop him.
Afterglow
A group of parkour athletes explore their shared history. Looking at how emotions and mindsets are challenged, Afterglow explores themes of trauma and the youth experience of trying to find belonging. How do friendships shape us and what does it mean to grow up? Filmed in and around Beloit.
Disclaimer: The Mental Health Warrior Film Festival is supported by NAMI Wisconsin as part of our commitment to increasing mental health awareness through storytelling and community engagement. While NAMI Wisconsin supports the festival, we have not reviewed or endorsed the individual films selected for screening. The views, opinions, and portrayals expressed in these films are those of the filmmakers and may not reflect the positions, values, or perspectives of NAMI Wisconsin. Film content is presented to encourage dialogue and exploration of diverse experiences related to mental health.