a deep and intimate story of grief, mental health, and friendship
Smile4Kime tells the story of Kim, an African-American woman who lived with depression and trauma, and Elena, an Afro-Puerto Rican woman dealing with depression and grief after the death of her friend Kim. Weaving in and out of time and space, the film incorporates interviews, experimental/performance footage, and animation to explore their connection both past and present
Directed by Elena Guzman
Produced: Cybee Bloss and Kimberly Edwards
Edited by Laura Menchaca Ruiz
To make a tax-deductible contribution, you may donate to the project via our fiscal sponsor Women Make Movies HERE.
still from Smile4Kime, art by Cybee Bloss
In the age of #Blacklivesmatter and #metoo the experience of Black women as it relates to policing and sexual violence is a salient matter coming to the forefront of national consciousness. Black women continue to be erased and ignored in national conversations despite their centrality to many of these movements. This erasure becomes even more discernable at the intersections of sexuality, disability, and mental health.
The intertwined story of their mental health journeys and friendship reveals the ongoing struggles that plague many communities of color regarding mental health. Both women’s stories grapple with misconceptions about mental health while providing a close look at the intersections of race, class, gender, and mental health.
In providing an in-depth look into both women’s interconnected experiences, the film offers a broader context in which we learn about, engage with, and explore what a reimagined mental health care system could look like while showing the way friendship continues even after death.
