Mental Health Through Cinema

Project duration
2026 may – 2026 december

Donor
Funds from the Special Public Health Promotion Program, Vilnius City Municipality

Aims of the project

The mental health of school-aged youth (14–19 years old) in Lithuania is becoming an increasingly important public health issue. International reports indicate that we are currently facing a youth mental health crisis. Due to the persistent stigma surrounding mental health, both young people and the adults around them often avoid talking about mental health difficulties or seeking help. Therefore, schools are seen as one of the key settings for prevention, where safe, inclusive and youth-friendly approaches are needed to strengthen mental health literacy and encourage open dialogue.

In this project, cinema education is used as a relatable, experiential and safe way for young people to engage with sensitive topics. Narrative-based methods allow participants to reflect on complex emotional experiences through the stories of film characters, foster empathy and dialogue, and have been shown to reduce stigmatizing attitudes and increase engagement with mental health topics.

Planned activities:

1. Develop a standard for cinema-based mental health education.
2. Develop a cinema education methodology based on a film exploring mental health themes.
3. Organize mental health literacy training for educators.
4. Conduct online seminars for professionals working with young people.
5. Implement a cycle of cinema education sessions for 14–19-year-olds in Vilnius schools and youth spaces.

Project budget
24 000,00 Eur

Reference number
A291-1942/26