Chart the path to mental wellness with the indie film ‘Healing’

Director Hart Ginsburg has been making the rounds lately, for all the right reasons. His newest film Healing was recently shown at the Montreal Independent Film Festival to gratuitous applause. As the world hardened into two polarized viewpoints surrounding the pandemic, Ginsburg chose to create a film that looked through the eyes of a doctor trying to make as much sense of the unknown as anyone else.

The end result is a film asking bigger questions around who gets to decide how deep we can dive into someone’s mental state, and how long we can stay there as a professional instead of a friend.

Intentional space creator

In 2015, director Ginsburg founded Digital Tapestries in response to his experiences as a psychotherapist. Aiming to serve the diverse needs of his clients through interactive books and short films, he soon expanded his visual materials by developing a workshop format. He began offering film screenings as well as panel discussions. 

Alongside his workshops, the production company’s films and books seek to encourage participants to reach beyond a surface level response by creating more forthright, meaningful dialogue in the pursuit of a more human connection.

Since its inception, Digital Tapestries has beautifully grown into a team of artists and professionals that draw from digital media, art, social work, psychotherapy, and communications. 

Despite all the mental anguish of the pandemic, films like Purple Umbrella, 36 Hats, and Manos make the mission of Digital Tapestries crystal clear: the human condition is something to be taken seriously, worth protecting in ever evolving ways.

Well of inspiration

“Inspired by Chaplin, I strive to artistically portray the trials of everyday people. At the same time, I try to blend touches of humor to provide moments for viewers to find something reflective and hopefully joyful that they can bring to their daily lives.” the director said.

As isolation and belonging are cornerstones of mental health discussions, the pandemic has brought about more than few sources of inspiration to plant Healing in the realm of introspective, psychological dramedy. 

“As vaccines became more accessible this past spring, we worked on our first film since the pandemic with our crew, a grateful surprise that we couldn’t have expected.” Ginsburg says. “Healing explores feelings of emptiness and disconnection. Particularly, during the isolating times of the pandemic, where technological innovations added at times paradoxical complexities of both connection and disconnection.”

Bigger questions

Against all odds, Ginsburg hopes that the film will compel viewers to ask their own questions toward sculpting their own individual path to mental wellness.  “As a therapist, I have often wondered where the line is between the therapist and the patient? We hope that Healing can be a space for the viewer to discover their own possibilities of healing.”

What new mental health messages do you think Ginsburg has up his sleeve next? Let us know in the comments!