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A Direct Look: Mental Health in the Muslim Community

In this special program, we take a look at the issue of Mental Health and how it impacts British Muslims. Featuring experts on the topic and Muslims who've suffered with their mental health.
(Originally aired on British Muslim TV on 30/05/21)

  • Ahseem Yousuf
    Director
    Islam in Lockdown (2021), Butchers Day (2020), Quran Coach (2021), Corona-Blocked (2020), Lost a Friend (2019), Silman (2018)
  • Umnia El-Neil
    Narrator
    Butchers Day (2020)
  • Jessica Steffan
    Original Art
    Butchers Day (2020), Victim Support Advert (2020) Silman (2018)
  • Chris Hazell
    Executive Producer
    Numerous
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Student, Television
  • Runtime:
    22 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 29, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Bradford
Director Biography - Ahseem Yousuf

Ahseem Yousuf is a recent film school graduate who has worked on a plethora of projects with a recent focus on factual filmmaking for television. He has produced 2 television documentaries as well as fictional short films. He likes to work on projects that can have a social impact in some way and in regards to his fictional work, he tends to focus on issues related to the nature of good and evil.

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Director Statement

This film was made during the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic during my final year of film school. It was challenging, to say the least, but I wanted to push through the obstacles to bring this film to fruition as the content of it is important. Mental Health is very much the trend these days but it is still very much stigmatised. To an extent, I can understand why. I mean if someone came to you with a paper cut, that's easy to solve, just give them a band aid. However, if someone came to you with severe depression and suicidal thoughts, what band aid can you give to heal that? And so, the stigma persists. The way we beat that stigma and help people become more informed for what they should do when such scenarios arise, films like this one exist. I hope this piece of work can do its part in the current cultural removal of this stigma and in aiding people with their mental health.

Ahseem Yousuf- Director of A Direct Look: Mental Health in the Muslim Community