STARRY NIGHT

Set in Calgary, STARRY NIGHT documents the artistic and personal triumphs of a remarkable troupe of performers who breathe life into a play centred around schizophrenia – a condition they themselves grapple with.Against the backdrop of the play, the documentary follows the journeys of performers whose courageous acts of self-expression reflect their distinct efforts to live with and not be defined by their illness. STARRY NIGHT centres on the performers living with schizophrenia, and director Bruce Thomas Miller, an administrator at the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta. The film follows them as they tour and rehearse the play called “Starry Night”, an educational performance that teaches audiences about schizophrenia from a lived-experience perspective. Group participants share their personal experiences about how performing the play has contributed to improved quality of life. The film explores the themes of art as a therapeutic tool and the role of community as harm reduction, offering a hopeful perspective: a diagnosis of schizophrenia holds the potential for a healthy and fulfilling life.

Screened with a short film

THE BOOKSTORE THAT NEVER SLEEPS
27 minutes Canada (Documentary)
As moonlight settles over a quiet port town, a bookstore awakens for night owls and wanderers, its shelves holding stories and the silent memory of a friend never forgotten.