Artangel has partnered with King’s College London and Science Gallery London to present The Directors by Marcus Coates – five short films commissioned and produced by Artangel in collaboration with individuals in recovery from lived experiences of psychosis.
To mark World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10th October 2023, King’s College London will host the flagship event; a free public screening of one of the films, The Directors: Marcus, followed by a panel discussion between the artist Marcus Coates, the director Marcus Gordon, with contributions from practitioners in the medical and psychiatric fields, and care settings. The event will draw on the themes of World Mental Health Day 2023, which focuses on the duty of society to promote good mental health as a universal human right.
The Directors is a collaboration between artist Marcus Coates and five individuals in recovery from different lived experiences of psychosis. Following extensive one-to-one meetings with Coates, each individual chose a location of personal significance in which to film Coates embodying and performing particular aspects of their own experience. Positioned behind the camera, each individual directed Coates in a filmed restaging of particular episodes from their lives. During the filming, Coates received instructions from each director leading to a dialogue which remains a key element in each film.
Through The Directors, Coates’ intention was to find ways in which people can relate to the breadth and complexity of psychotic experiences and to help reduce cultural stigma around psychosis and mental health in general.
On 10 October, the flagship screening will be hosted by Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s on Denmark Hill and a satellite event will take place at Guy’s campus at Science Gallery London (London Bridge). On 11-12 October the programme continues for faculty and students, underlining the importance of this work in the context of academic learning. Full details of the public screenings are available on What’s Going On?, a new website created to highlight the project and share associated background materials as an educational resource, free of charge. All five films in the series are available on request via the website, which will continue to be updated with research, resources, and conversations.
Flagship event:
Tuesday 10th October, 17.30 – 19:00
Free public screening and panel discussion
King’s College London, Wolfson Lecture Theatre
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), 16 De Crespigny Park, SE5 8AF
Eventbrite
From the inception of the project, Marcus Coates worked on research and development with Dr Isabel Valli at the Early Intervention Service, COAST, part of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
The Directors was made with the support of a project advisory group, including Dr Isabel Valli, psychiatrist, neuroscientist and visiting fellow in the department of Psychosis Studies at King’s IoPPN; Peter Bullimore, who spent ten years as a psychiatric patient; Charles Fernyhough, writer, psychologist and part-time Professor of Psychology at Durham University; Laura E. Fischer, artist, researcher, lecturer and mental health activist; David Harper, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of East London; and Jo Loughran, a leader and strategic thinker with more than a decade of involvement with the UK charity sector, including Director at Time to Change.
Free public screenings:
The Directors: Marcus, Tuesday 10th October, 17:30 – 19:00 BST (Denmark Hill campus)
Screening + panel discussion exploring themes of hallucinations, experiences of shame, stigma, and public attitudes towards psychosis. Speakers include Marcus Coates, Artist, Marcus Gordon, Director, Dr Isabel Valli, Psychiatrist and Neuroscientist, and Dr Preety Das, Medical Psychotherapist and Psychiatrist. This session is chaired by Sally Marlow, Professor of Practice in Public Understanding of Mental Health Research.
King’s College London, Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, 16 De Crespigny Park, SE5 8AF Booking essential, free tickets are available via Eventbrite
The Directors: Mark Tuesday 10th October, 19:00 – 20:30 BST (Guy’s campus)
Screening + panel discussion exploring the role of art and filmmaking as a powerful tool to unlock new perspectives into mental health conditions. Speakers include Mark Banham, Director, Stephen Rudder, Audiovisual artist and psychodynamic psychotherapist, and Sotiris Posporelis, Consultant Liaison Neuropsychiatrist. The discussion is chaired by Sophie Leighton, Director, Bethlem Gallery.
Science Gallery London, Theatre, Guy’s Campus, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9GU
Free tickets are available to book via Eventbrite
More info on The Directors: artangel.org.uk
Watch all 5 films: whatsgoingon.org.uk
