A documentary of the Cottage Studio in Hamilton Ontario, Canada. The
studio has been operating at St Paul's Presbyterian church in
downtown Hamilton as a place where those with serious mental
illnesses can go to pursue art. Over the years, the program has grown
and is now operated by the Hamilton Program for Schizophrenia Family
Association. A grant from the Trillium Fund enabled them to renovate
an historic cottage on the church grounds into a proper studio.
The
artists at the Cottage Studio had the opportunity to prepare for and
hang a show of their work at an opening at the Gallery
on the Bay
in Hamilton at the end of June 2009.
The
documentary deals with their preparation for the show, the show
itself, and in-depth interviews with three of the artists.
While the story is about the preparation for a serious gallery
opening for these artists culminating in the opening itself, the
interviews will explore the very issue of schizophrenia, the lives of
the people it affects and the role of artistic expression in their
recovery.
The film premiered at St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton on June 29, 2010. St. Joe's provides
specialized tertiary mental health services for residents of
Central South Region in Ontario. Speaking at the premiere were Dr. Kevin
Smith, president and CEO of the hospital; Dr. David Higgins, president;
Dr. Robert Zipurski, VP Mental Health and Addiction Services and chief
of psychiatry; and Ms Sera Filice-Armenio, president and CEO of the St
Joseph's Foundation.
"I loved this film. Without shying away from the realities of having a
serious and persistent mental illness,
three courageous people talk of their struggles, their dreams and their
hope. Educational, accurate, human, and compelling."
Dr. Peter Cook, Head of Service
Schizophrenia & Community Integration Service
St. Joseph's Healthcare
Hamilton, On, Canada and Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences,
McMaster University
"an uplifting
account of a group of people in Ontario who live with mental
illness, preparing for a gallery opening of their wonderful
work."
Susan Inman, author of After Her Brain Broke: Helping My Daughter Recover Her Sanity
"great moments that really land the idea of the place art can
have in recovery, the pride people get from their work and the identity
as 'artist'."
Bruce Saunders, Founder, Movie Monday, Victoria, BC
"I found the documentary profoundly moving, educational and hopeful. It's
vital to see an accurate portrayal of the struggles that come with
having schizophrenia, and also inspiring to see the positive impact of a
place like the Cottage Studio. "
Eufemia Fantetti, author and performer of "My Own Private Etobicoke", Toronto, ON
