Feeling Blue? Mental Health at Cambridge Univeristy

It’s an understatement to say that Feeling Blue was my life for over a year. The 54-minute documentary looks at mental health at Cambridge University, and it is, to date, the most ambitious project I’ve worked on. I was incredibly lucky to get the opportunity to work with an amazing team, meet and interview some incredible people, and have creative control over a feature-length documentary. The documentary led me to speak at a national mindfulness conference, led the team to be nominated for the Mind Media Awards 2019, and to be viewed over 16,000 times on YouTube.

But it wasn’t all rosy. The year took everything out of me, and I visited some pretty dark places over the course of the project: sleepless nights, migraines, and more self-doubt and creative fear than I’ve ever experienced. The irony isn’t lost on me - by making a documentary about mental health crises, I experienced my fair share too. Looking back over that year is tough (as is rewatching the film and its many mistakes and problems!).

What is toughest, though, is that even with testimony from 70+ students/staff, even with a 61-page document and list of questions presented to the Pro-Vice Chancellor in person, even after endorsements from charities, college student unions and even the Women’s Rugby Club, what have the University officially said in response?

Nothing.

So while I am proud that we spoke out, proud of the team and of the work we put in, I am not proud of the fact that as of yet, all those hours resulted in silence. Let’s hope that changes one day.

PRESS

Interview with Tabou Disability Magazine: https://taboudisabilitymag.co.uk/interactive-first-edition

Interview with Mindfulness In Schools: https://mindfulnessinschools.org/misp-youth-ambassadors-luke-naylor-perrott/

Interview with Astrid Franciszka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbgLYBXj-sw

Interview with The Tab: https://thetab.com/uk/cambridge/2019/05/03/the-tab-meets-the-creators-of-the-feeling-blue-documentary-123980

Review in Varsity: https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/17513