Over the past few months, I have been working on a short film as part of the POD (Point of Difference) initiative, supported by the Mental Health Foundation NZ. My hope with this film, is to show that although mental illness/distress is commonly associated with negative connotations, the journey that people encounter through their experiences can be a source of growth and inspiration. Often, people who experience mental illness/distress are perceived as ‘less than adequate’, ‘weak’ or 'a failure’, and it is these assumptions that contribute to the stigma and social exclusion that they face in today's society. This short film reflects the fact that people are not bound by these perceptions and aims to target these negative ideas by emphasising the fact that while society may perceive a person to be a certain way, this does not define who that person is or what they are capable of doing i.e. 'we are not defined by the perceptions of this world.' I would like to extend a big thank you to the following people in making this project possible; Firstly, my amazing friends, Michael Bell, Zoe Haitoua, Ruth Dasari Sean Collins, Francis Leilua & Dennis Chand for their willingness to be a part of this and a shout out to Boxing Alley for lending us their gym to film! Thank you also to my mentors (Margaret Lockhart, Nicole Nyx Simons) and the Mental Health Foundation, NZ for their guidance and support on this POD project. Lastly, thank you to my family who have been a great source of encouragement and have always supported my passion for mental health.

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