Mental health in film and TV is a topic that’s not discussed enough within the industry, say experts Louise Hoygaard Johansen and Christine Günther.
Speaking at an industry panel titled “International Industry Insights” at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Johansen, a Danish film festival programmer and film industry consultant, asked Günther, a German producer and production manager, about best practices for safeguarding one’s mental health and well-being in this fast-changing industry.
“I believe all change starts with us,” says Gunther. “We have to develop practices that feel sane and safe for us, and ask ourselves what kind of industry and world we want to live in. Then we seek out allies, build alliances, and implement that brave new world. We all have the power to make it happen.”
Günther is co-founder of Fireglory Pictures, a transatlantic outfit operating in Berlin and Los Angeles, while Johansen founded Sané Cinema in 2022 to promote mental health in the film industry through awareness, training and education.
Gunter added: “And my advice to managers and everyone working in the industry is to find your own personal way to cope with the industry’s rollercoaster of fear and hope.”
“If you have the skills and tools to sit on this rollercoaster, I think it’s up to you to decide whether you want to ride a 100-year-old wooden Coney Island coaster that will give you a concussion and herniated disks, or a well-cushioned, thrilling, adventurous but survivable Universal coaster.”
Check out the video above.
