More Than 300 Attend Vinfen Film Festival                                       BACK TO MAIN PAGE

“It was an incredible day,” said Vinfen Director of Development Juliana Field, who organized the event. “The turnout exceeded our expectations, and there was tremendous interest and interaction among people. I think that everyone who attended came away with a little more knowledge and understanding of the issues involved with mental illness and developmental disabilities.”

The festival’s 14 films were divided into six sessions, each of which was followed by a panel discussion that included audience participation.

Panelists represented a wide spectrum of people involved with mental illness and developmental disabilities, including Vinfen staff, clinicians from other organizations, artists, filmmakers, advocates and individuals served.

“We heard and saw many different perspectives during the films and the panel discussions,” said Gary Lamson, president and CEO of Vinfen. “That’s what this festival was designed to do – make people aware of the issues, start talking about them and get more involved.”

Because of the educational nature of Moving Images, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) were offered by the National Association of Social Workers and the Arizona Nursing Association for viewing the films and attending the panel sessions.

The panel discussions were informative, lively and, at times, emotional. Yet there was one theme that seemed to resonate throughout the day: Psychiatric and developmental disabilities should be treated the same as other any other type of illness, and receive the same high standards of care.

“There is a big difference,” pointed out Lisa Halpern, program director of Vinfen’s Dorchester Bay Recovery Center, “between living a life and surviving – and having a life and thriving.”   

The latter approach exemplifies Vinfen’s philosophy of service delivery. This community-oriented strategy is embraced by many other organizations but funding and political concerns often make for challenging situations.

Several of the films focused on the challenges of the current human services system. A Revolving Door, Isn’t She Lovely and Imagining Robert examined the difficulties of receiving quality care.

Other films, such as The Life and Art of Judith Scott and I Am Dekel, celebrated the triumphs of individuals who have flourished in supportive, caring environments.     

Front Wards, Back Wards, a documentary about the Fernald School, provided a historical context for the treatment of individuals with developmental disabilities, drawing the largest crowd of the day.  

Ken Duckworth, M.D., and Susan Abbott of Vinfen were panelists for the day's first session.

Lars and the Real Girl, an Academy Award nominee, focused on acceptance and nurturance as a foundation for treatment. Many of the films dealt with the family’s role – and frustrations – in dealing with mental illness and developmental disabilities.    

“Jay [Neugeboren, the benevolent brother in Imagining Robert] filled in a lot of the gaps in the mental health system,” said Moe Armstrong, a former Vinfen program director and longtime mental health advocate. “It’s time we started thinking a little more outside of the box.”   

The day started with a touching welcome video by the event’s honorary co-chairs, former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis and his wife Kitty, who did not shy away from the fact that she has been an advocate for mental health reform as well as a recipient of services.   

Over the next six hours, more than 300 people were able to get an inside look – and hopefully a greater understanding – of mental illness and developmental disabilities.   

“We look at it this way,” said Rae Edelson, director of Vinfen’s Gateway Arts (and a panelist in the 

Outsider Artists session). “We work with the individual’s abilities – not his or her disabilities.”