Highlighting the effects of mental illnesses, Havas Lynx has partnered up with four-time Academy Award-winning studio Aardman to produce a short film to launch on World Mental Health Day.
According to Havas Lynx, two in three people won’t receive any support or treatment for their mental illness, despite most mental health conditions being preventable or treatable.
The ‘New Mindset’ animation underlines this global issue, highlighting that one in four people will have a mental health condition at some point in their life.
The film, which is narrated by Stephen Fry, also notes that every 40 seconds someone dies by suicide, which is the leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds worldwide.
Ill mental health costs the world $2.5 trillion per year, and the film was created to help the mental health community win support to change how mental health is both funded and stigmatised.
United for Global Mental Health founder, Elisha London, said: “Improving mental health is a global challenge that needs global action. The first step is bringing together the global mental health community with governments, businesses and funders to increase investment in mental health. We know the causes and we know what works. It is time to act. Together we need to start a mental health revolution, so everyone everywhere has someone to turn to.”
The film, which premiered earlier this week by United for Global Mental Health at the Tate Modern in London, presents hard-hitting facts that were drawn from a report by The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development.
That particular report, which was published yesterday, details how good mental health can be achieved across the globe.
Havas Lynx, Cannes Lions Healthcare agency of the year, wrote the script and supported on creative delivery. Chief Creative Officer, Tom Richards, said; “It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to work on a project that can change potentially millions of lives for the better. It’s been an absolute pleasure collaborating with Aardman, and the United for Mental Health team, and we’re immensely proud that we’ve played a small part in the global initiative”.
The animation is set in an attic, and Aardman director Danny Capozzi said the set acts as a metaphor for how mental health is stigmatised, underfunded and hidden away in the recesses of global health budget.
He adds: “We’ve taken the thinking of the world’s best minds on mental health and turned it into a film to help the global mental health community win support for change to how mental health is funded and treated.
“We hope the film can help to bring mental health out of the darkness and into the light.”
The film is available to view online here.