The Town of Smithtown Horizons Counseling and Education Center hosted a virtual screening of the mental health documentary “Angst” on June 11th via Zoom. Over 150 parents, children, teens, and educators participated in this screening, which included a special Q & A panel after the film.
“I watched the Angst Documentary because I have seen the high levels of anxiety that children and teens are experiencing first hand, both while working in schools and in my own family. I thought the film covered the various symptoms experienced very well, and gave some good tips on ways to cope with anxiety symptoms. This film would be beneficial to both the youth and families of those who are experiencing anxiety to realize they are not alone and help is available.” - Janine Marc-Anthony, Community Member
A live question and answer panel about mental health followed the conclusion of the film. The panel was made up of Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jerry Bubrick, along with Matthew Neebe and Joe Bieniewicz from Horizons, and was moderated by Scilla Andreen, one of the producers of “Angst.” Of the over 150 community members who attended the film screening, 80% of them stayed for the question and answer session, and many asked questions. Some of the topics covered were mental health and anxiety management strategies, and ways that “Angst” can be shown to more students.
“Hearing from the young people who suffer from anxiety was enlightening. They described the specific experiences from their lives and explained how those experiences induce anxiety. The Angst documentary effectively portrayed the risk factors which can lead to an increase in anxiety and the protective factors which can guard against it. The documentary also touched on some healthy coping strategies which can be used to reduce or eliminate anxiety in some instances. We were honored to have shown this video to our community, and grateful for the robust discussion that followed the screening. We thank the filmmaker, producer, and panelists for their participation.” - Matthew Neebe, Horizons Director
About “Angst”:
IndieFlix, a leading independent online streaming platform, along with its non-profit arm, the IndieFlix Foundation, is sparking a global conversation about anxiety through screenings of its brand-new documentary, “Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety”. The IndieFlix original film is expected to reach more than three million people around the world, through 25,000 community and school screenings.
The producers of the film, Scilla Andreen and Karin Gornick, have one goal: to start a global conversation and raise awareness around anxiety. Through candid interviews, they utilize the power of film to tell the stories of many kids and teens who discuss their anxiety and its impacts on their lives and relationships, as well as how they’ve found solutions and hope. The film also includes a special interview with Michael Phelps, a mental health advocate and one of the greatest athletes of all-time. In addition, the documentary provides discussions with mental health experts about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects, along with the help, resources and tools available to address the condition. To learn more, visit www.angstmovie.com.