Changing Minds Young Filmmaker Festival 10th anniversary special launches on streaming platforms

Experience ten award-winning short films created by young filmmakers who open up powerful conversations around anxiety, identity, recovery, and resilience. Each story reveals how creativity and honesty can change the way we think and talk about mental health.

The special presentation marks the tenth anniversary of the Changing Minds Young Filmmaker Festival and features ten groundbreaking short films from the festival’s history, along with an exclusive panel discussion with Laurie M. Tisch, Emmy winning actor John Turturro, Cal Hedigan, and three young filmmakers, Kendra Brown, Denise Chan, and Morgan Smartt reflecting on how storytelling can break stigma and inspire empathy around mental health.

Launched in 2015 by Community Access, a leading housing and mental health nonprofit, Changing Minds celebrates the creativity and leadership of young filmmakers (ages 15–25) who use film to open honest dialogue about mental health. Their stories confront themes such as anxiety, depression, identity, and recovery—showing that every experience has value and that healing is possible when voices are heard.

Read the Press Release

“Mental health stigma has real consequences in our communities, but by sharing their lived experiences through film, young creators have the ability to foster empathy, spark understanding, and remind us how essential it is that youth perspectives are heard, respected, and valued. Making these films accessible on major platforms ensures that their stories and their impact reach far beyond the festival.”  — Laurie Tisch

John Turturro