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I AM

A short film exploring schizophrenia and breaking its stigmas.
Although we live in a world where people feel freer and more comfortable talking about mental illness, we clearly still have a long way to go, especially with less understood conditions such as schizophrenia, which is too often sensationalised and misrepresented in Hollywood movies.

With “I AM”, we hope to bring a new perspective on this. A more human, less cliché one and hopefully help break some stigmas and cliches still surrounding schizophrenia.

  • Ludovica Musumeci
    Director
    Mens Sana, Just Saying, Sam
  • Rachel Mariam
    Writer
    Call It a Day
  • Oriane Pick
    Producer
    Say Your Name, Call It a Day
  • Oriane Pick
    Key Cast
    "Gabi"
    Say Your Name, Call It a Day, Just Saying the Series
  • Charlie MacGechan
    Key Cast
    "Mike"
    We Die Young, Deus
  • Izuka Hoyle
    Key Cast
    "Lea"
    Mary Queen of Scots, Clique, The Wheel of Time
  • Sally Faulkner
    Key Cast
    "Granny"
    Doctor Who
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 31, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ludovica Musumeci

LUDOVICA MUSUMECI is a London-based multi-award-winning Director, Writer and Producer, as well as a published author. Born and raised in Sicily, after graduating in Business and Economics her passion for films brought her to London. In only three and a half years, Ludovica has been working as Producer and Director on more than 40 productions in various genres both in a commercial and a creative setting, ranging from documentaries to animations. Currently working as a Creative Producer at Box Media, Ludovica collaborates with Emmy- and Academy-nominated artists, shaping the future of learning through high-quality productions.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

When Producer Oriane Pick told me about I Am, I immediately knew I wanted to direct this project.

'I AM' stars a strong, well-rounded female lead and deals with key themes such as mental health and self-acceptance. 'I AM' is not just a short film, it’s a statement against stigmas. At least once in our lives, we have all felt unheard and rejected just for being who we truly are. Now multiply that by ten, and put it in a society that judges you on the basis of a stereotype you never signed up for. That’s what Gabi and people living with schizophrenia are put through, every single day.
It’s our responsibility as filmmakers to change this. And that’s why I decided to be involved in the project.

Creating the vision for Gabi’s world has been a different challenge from anything I’ve ever experienced before. Usually I would just read the script and let my imagination go wild. However, in this case I didn’t want to use my point of view, but the one of those living with this condition. So I watched videos and listened to podcasts made by activists affected by schizophrenia. I’ve tried to put their feelings and experience into visuals and I’ve decided to show an unseen side of what schizophrenia can be like.

I didn’t want Gabi’s world to look scary, nor creepy; we have seen enough of that. I wanted to show her magic.

Hence, every element, from the visuals to the music, enhances the uniqueness of Gabi’s world. The animations feel surrealistic and dreamy, not frightening. I wanted to move far away from the concept that Schizophrenia is something too foreign to be understood, I wanted the public to relate to Gabi.

Cinematography and production design elevate the picture and make it contemporary and unique. Sound design subtly hints to Gabi’s inner world.

I am really proud of what we achieved with 'I AM', because it talks to an audience that has been feeling unheard for too long, and to those of us who have never experienced this condition, shows that there is much more to the picture than what we have been told, and that all we can do to make it better is to listen.