Documentary Screening: HAPPY SAD MAN

This Movember, the ASR Suicide and Depression Studies Program at St. Michael's Hospital invites you to join us for a special screening of the heartwarming documentary HAPPY SAD MAN at the Paradise Theatre! A panel discussion on men's mental health will follow, with subject matter experts including clinicians and individuals with lived experience.

Itinerary

Doors: 6:00pm

Introduction by director Genevieve Bailey: 6:30pm

Documentary Screening: 7:00pm

Panel Discussion: 8:30pm

Ticketing

Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite. A limited amount of tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

All proceeds will go towards supporting the ASR Suicide & Depression Studies Program at St. Michael's Hospital, supporting future community events, like this one, on mental health.

We recognize that the ticket fee might not be feasible for all. If you are experiencing financial barriers and feel you would benefit from this event, please use code 'ASR' at checkout.

Movember

November is recognized as men's health month, raising awareness of testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and mental health and suicide prevention. Men’s mental health often gets overlooked due to lack of awareness, stigma, shame, and rigid gender roles that discourage men from showing vulnerability and seeking help for medical conditions, including mental health concerns. Alarmingly, 17% of Canadian men aged 15 and older report having fair or poor mental health, yet many under-utilize mental health services. This significantly contributes to men's suicide risk. We at the ASR Suicide and Depression Studies Program at St. Michael's Hospital are committed to addressing these challenges and creating meaningful change. By holding this event, we aim to promote education on the importance of engaging in help seeking behaviors, and foster a supportive community that encourages open discussions for men’s mental health challenges.

About the film

HAPPY SAD MAN is a charming and uplifting insight into the lives of five very different Australian men.

Following her smash hit I AM ELEVEN, Australian filmmaker Genevieve Bailey was inspired to find more diverse and positive portrayals of men exploring their emotional selves. We journey from Bondi Beach to the outback; we laugh and cry alongside a war photographer traversing global conflict zones, we visit a farmer and outreach worker from rural Victoria, a musical nomad and a sensitive dog-loving artist. Each portrait is an intimate and heartwarming look into vulnerability, friendship and compassion.

HAPPY SAD MAN gives unforgettable voice to the complex emotional landscapes we can all traverse. Touching, funny and tender, this must-see documentary is set to shine a light on and change the dialogue around masculinity and mental health today. Exploring hopes, anxieties, joy and darkness the raw vulnerability of these stories will inspire you to hold some of the men in your life that bit closer.

Learn more: https://happysadman.org/

About the ASR

The Arthur Sommer Rotenberg (ASR) Suicide and Depression Studies Program represents the first academic Chair in suicide studies in Canada. Based at St. Michael’s Hospital, this University of Toronto-endowed chair has led research in suicide and its intervention since its inception in 1997. Our clinicians have built a strong intervention program that has treated hundreds of people, including those with recurrent suicide attempts. The ASR team of scientists and graduate students are working hard to explore research in the areas of suicide neurobiology, treatment intervention, health care service optimization, and community-based program development. As researchers and clinicians, we also believe in a social responsibility to educate communities about suicide, and run education and arts-based outreach programming throughout the year. We believe in the power of the lived experience voice, and so work with community members through an advisory committee to develop impactful research and advocacy projects.

Learn more: www.asrlife.ca