Welcome to Ufront Media Insights;
Hello Everyone, My name is Emelyn Stuart the Founder of Stuart films and the Ocktober Film Festival and today I had the opportunity to interview Squeaky Moore the Director and Co Producer of the film Face of Darkness which is about three African American men who chronicle their battle with depression as well as their struggle to overcome it and not be overtaken by it. Face of Darkness is character driven and it wraps itself around the stigma surrounding depression amongst Black Men… identifying it, surviving it and the journey to healing. The film’s objective is to raise awareness of depression in African American males, the detriment of not addressing it, as well as the benefits of treatment. We hope that by exposing the illness in an artistic fashion, the African American community will not only be enlightened, but they will learn how to recognize and seek help for themselves or loved ones. So enjoy my powerful, exclusive interview about the Faces of Darkness A Journey to Healing.
Emelyn – Please give us a few sentences that describe Faces of Darkness (synopsis)?
Squeaky- Driven to the depths of depression, courageous men chronicle their struggles while battling a mental illness, and their struggle to overcome it or be overtaken by it. The Face of Darkness – Journey to Healing documentary (FOD) is a commentary of clinicians, families of victims, and survivors of mental illness. This film captures intimate moments and offers empowering opportunities to address the taboos of mental health and depression as it relates to minority males.
Emelyn – Who is involved in the Faces of Darkness project (any special mentions)?
Squeaky– Dr. Jeffrey Gardere (America’s Pscychologist, CNN, Housewives of Atlanta) Terrie M. Williams, author of Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting, Rapper, Donny Goines, Thomas Young, and Father of Lee Thompson Young.
Emelyn – Why is this project being created and where do you hope to see it broadcast (TV, theatrical, online)?
Squeaky-Faces of Darkness explores several factors that contribute to the mental health crisis, one of which is the glaring disparity in mental health treatment sought by minority males in comparison to other demographic groups. The primary cause for this project is to address the stigma, stereotypes and taboos in the African American community with regards to mental health and depression. Our objectives are to:
– Educate the public about depression, anxiety and suicide
– Eliminate the stigma associated with seeking mental health care
– Start dialogue that encourages people to seek diagnosis and treatment
– Reduce suicide rates
– Encourage and assist healthcare providers in creating resources within at-risk communities
Our goals are for FACES OF DARKNESS film to play at festivals, have a theatrical release as well as, create a docu-series for television. We’d like to use the film as a tool to aid in helping minorities in all hospitals and mental health centers around the world.
Emelyn-Who is your audience and why?
Squeaky- Our audience are minority male, boys and men from 13-54, urban families, communities, churches and schools.
Emelyn -What is the current status of the project? We are currently filming the feature and simultaneously raising monies for the project. What is the most important thing you want people to know about the project (what do you need)?
Squeaky- We are in need of help and support in our mission to highlight and expose mental health issues plaguing minority male’s across America. In order to accomplish our goal, we are in need of financial resources. We want to help as many people as possible; but to do so; we must be able to secure the funds necessary to make a wide-ranging impact with our documentary. Our first step is completing filming on the documentary. Our objective is to release the documentary by May, 2016.
Emelyn-Please give us a personal quote either about the project or yourself.
Squeaky- My objective for Face of Darkness is to present the world with a fresh, unrepentant perspective from an authentic, creative and educational view-point. I want to highlight stories told through truth, addressing perplexing relationships and the impact they have on the people closest to them. My quote is “I am ultimately hoping to uplift and empower the African American community by highlighting the stories of these men and that affect the hearts of every day people like them” ~Squeaky Moore, Writer, Director, Producer
“As an African American male, I was taught that a man could not express his feelings and to never to cry. There is a stigma in my community that prevents males from sharing emotions, hugging or admitting that we are afraid. Depression runs deep within the African American male community and has become a plaque that is causing so much suffering, even death.”~Kenneth Todd Nelson, Writer, Director, Producer
Emelyn Stuart- Thank you Squeaky for a great interview and for more information about the Faces of Darkness you can click on the links below to get more information on their website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube . I am Emelyn Stuart contribution reporter on Ufront Media Insights. Thank You!!!
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/faceofdarkness1
Check out Ufront Media Insights on Social Media:
Ufront Website- http://ufront.strikingly.com
Ufront on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ufronttv
Ufront on Twitter: https://twitter.com/UFRONT1125
Ufront on Instagram: http://instagram.com/ufronttv/
Ufront on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVaR2TqPy2Zbmx37bh-rZnQ
Ufront on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/UFRONT-MEDIA-5111793?trk=groups_settings-h-dsc&goback=%2Egmr_5111793
Ufront on Shocase- http://www.shocase.com/#/user/Srz52j0zdlmskS1bspljqt0kkv5
Ufront on Tumblr- http://rogermaloney11.tumblr.com/Thank you
UFRONT MEDIA INSIGHTS 