Celebrating Community Access’ Changing Minds Film Festival Winners

October 31, 2023

Livia Caligor (she/her) is an art and culture writer with bylines in Architectural Digest, Teen Vogue, Hyperallergic, and Wonderland. Her content focuses on the intersection between art, design, and social issues, as she seeks to uplift minority demographics and make the arts a more equitable space through her writing. Livia is passionate about deconstructing social stigmas around mental health and making resources more accessible to youth without the means; she has spoken about the topic on CBS, NY1, and MTV. In her free time, she works on her photography, which has been exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and published on Vogue.com. Livia holds degrees in Fashion Management and English from Cornell University and lives in her hometown of NYC. 

Check out Livia’s art and writing at liviacaligor.com; Follow her Instagram @livia.caligor and her photography page @puddlesbylivia.

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(Livia moderating the Changing Minds Film Festival / Photo Courtesy of Community Access, Inc./Sean Simes)

Earlier this Spring, I was so excited to moderate the 2023 Changing Minds Film Festival, which featured 14 winning films centered around the youth directors’ experiences with mental health. Organized by Community Access, a pioneering advocate of accessible housing, social services, and human rights for people with mental illnesses, it is the oldest and largest mental health film festival in the country. Changing Minds aims to reshift people’s mindset around mental health and destigmatize storytelling.

The oldest and largest mental health film festival in the United States, #MHFF takes a bold stand in fighting the stigma people with mental health concerns often face. Through sharing and discussing short films about mental health, made by young filmmakers, Changing Minds aims to positively change the narrative around mental health and foster a more empathetic, nuanced, and action-driven conversation.

I invite you to check out the interview panel with the directors of Inner Workings, Lust of the Flesh, On Top of the World, and Why We Are, and watch their short films below!

Inner Workings | filmmakers Cara Davidson/The Shannon Project 
In this short film, Cara opens up about her experience with depression and body dysmorphia. She explores how mental health struggles manifest for others in Generation Z, especially in the wake of the COVID19 Pandemic.


Lust of the Flesh | filmmaker Maria Gian 
An exploration of gluttony and shame through the eyes of a higher power.


Why We Are | filmmaker Karston C Singleton 
Through the use of theatrical dramatizations, two teenagers attempt to bridge the gaps between those with behavioral health and those without it. How different could they be?


On Top of the World: My Suicide Story | filmmaker Ewan Thomas 
(*Trigger warning* – This film discusses someone’s story that deals with suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or suicidal ideation, please find help immediately. You can text HOME to 741741 for 24/7 help.)

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