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Helping Veterans Heal Mental Illness through Photography

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Sonya Grigoruk, SG Public Relations
T: 213-810-1016, sonyagrpr@gmail.com
 

Helping Veterans Heal Mental Illness through Photography
New Film “Visions of Warriors” Follows The Veteran Photo Recovery Project,
an Alternative Therapy Program at Veterans Affairs Menlo Park

LOS ANGELES, November 11, 2017—The Veteran Photo Recovery Project (VPRP), an innovative art therapy program at the Veterans Affairs Menlo Park, utilizes photography to help veterans suffering from moral injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma, and other mental illnesses by giving them a visual language and the tools to express themselves, an important step towards healing.

The project is documented in “Visions of Warriors,” a powerful new film released today from Los Angeles filmmaker Ming Lai. Ming spent three years following the efforts of Susan Quaglietti, an experienced nurse practitioner who founded the program, and documents her work with veterans including Mark Pinto, a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot during the Gulf War who became a Buddhist priest and then an artist.

“In 2018, the U.S. will be looking at the 17th year of war in Afghanistan with no end in sight,” said Lai. “The untold cost is the many veterans who return home suffering from mental illness, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma (MST), and moral injury.”

During the Vietnam War, at least 18.7% of veterans developed PTSD (Dohrenwend et al., 2006). And during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, data suggests that 36.9% of veterans were diagnosed with a mental illness—21.8% with PTSD and 17.4% with depression (Seal et al., 2009). Approximately 22 veterans commit suicide each day.

Approximately one-half of the veterans who receive traditional evidence-based therapy still experience symptoms of mental illness. As result, many alternative therapies are being explored, including art therapy. 

“Using art such as photography is visually based and it can assist with expressing suppressed feelings associated with problems such as PTSD and MST,” said Quaglietti. “This type of therapeutic intervention can be highly beneficial for some veterans and some even believe that participating in this process may have saved their life.”

The VPRP supplements traditional therapy, helping veterans learn how to relax their body, focus their mind, be in the moment, appreciate beauty, capture their subject, and affirm life, using this process to express their feelings, tell their stories, and assist their recovery.

The film will be released on Veterans Day, and will be available through Amazon Video Direct, Apple iTunes, Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, and online at www.visionsofwarriors.com/store. The film received a generous grant from the Stanford Medicine & the Muse Program, premiered at the prestigious Vail Film Festival, and was selected for an Honorable Mention at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2017 Voice Awards. To watch the trailer and learn more about Visions of Warriors including screenings in Palo Alto and other locations, please visit www.visionsofwarriors.com.

About Humanist Films
Humanist Films, LLC is a film and photography production company, based in Los Angeles. Founded by filmmaker and photographer Ming Lai, Humanist Films is less of a traditional production company than an innovative think tank, gathering the brightest minds to research, plan, create, and change. Our interdisciplinary work ranges from narrative and documentary films to commercials and corporate videos to fine art and documentary photography projects. The name of our company honors legendary director, Akira Kurosawa, who was praised for his humanist compassion and inspired us to become filmmakers. www.humanistfilms.com

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References:
Dohrenwend, B. P., Turner, J. B., Turse, N. A., Adams, B. G., Koenen, K. C., & Marshall, R. (2006). The psychological risks of Vietnam for US veterans: a revisit with new data and methods. Science, 313(5789), 979-982. doi: 10.1126/science.1128944

Seal, K. H., Thomas, J., Gima, K. S., Bertenthal, D., Maguen, S., & Marmar, C. R. (2009). Trends and risk factors for mental health diagnoses among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care. American Journal of Public Health. 99(9), 1651-1658. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.150284

Toomey, R., Kang, H. K., Karlinsky, J., Baker, D. G., Vasterling, J. J., Alpern, R., ... & Eisen, S. A. (2007). Mental health of US Gulf War veterans 10 years after the war. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 190(5), 385-393. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.105.019539

“VISIONS OF WARRIORS” FEATURE DOCUMENTARY TO BE RELEASED ON VETERANS DAY (11/11/17)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Ming Lai: 626-372-1301, shoot[at]humanistfilms[dot]com
 

Los Angeles, CA. August 11, 2017—“Visions of Warriors," a feature documentary about veterans who use photography therapy to treat their mental illness, directed by Ming Lai, will be released on Veterans Day (11/11/17).

Humanist Films will be self-distributing the film digitally through Amazon Video Direct, Apple iTunes, Google Play, and Vimeo on Demand as well as on their website: visionsofwarriors.com/store

In “Visions of Warriors,” four veterans from the Vietnam War era to the Iraq War participate in the groundbreaking Veteran Photo Recovery Project at the VA Menlo Park and use innovative photography therapy to treat their mental illness. 

The film features veterans Mark Pinto, Homerina “Marina” Bond, Ari Sonnenberg, and Priscilla “Peni” Bethel. 

The film also profiles the Veteran Photo Recovery Project team—founder and nurse practitioner Susan Quaglietti, art therapist Jeff Stadler, clinical social worker Ryan Gardner, and clinical psychologist Kristen McDonald. 

In addition, the film introduces other dynamic veterans who participated in the program.

The film received a generous grant from the Stanford Medicine & the Muse Program, premiered at the prestigious Vail Film Festival, and has been nominated for a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2017 Voice Award. 

Since its premiere, the film has been screening at film festivals, conferences, universities, and special events. 

Ming Lai, the producer/writer/director of “Visions of Warriors,” relates, “After learning about Susan Quaglietti and the Veteran Photo Recovery Project, we were inspired to create a feature documentary about her compassionate work. We were deeply moved by the veterans’ powerful stories.”

He acknowledges, “Our film wouldn’t have been possible without all the extraordinary veterans and mental health providers in the film, our talented crew and post-production team, and our generous grantors, sponsors, donors, and supporters. Hopefully, our film raises awareness about the rise of veteran mental illness and the power of innovative photography therapy to treat it.”

To learn more about Visions of Warriors: 
visionsofwarriors.com

To obtain an Electronic Press Kit: 
visionsofwarriors.com/electronic-press-kit


ABOUT HUMANIST FILMS, LLC & MING LAI:
Humanist Films, LLC is a film and photography production company, based in Los Angeles. Founded by filmmaker and photographer Ming Lai, Humanist Films is less of a traditional production company than an innovative think tank, gathering the brightest minds to research, plan, create, and change. Our interdisciplinary work ranges from narrative and documentary films to commercials and corporate videos to fine art and documentary photography projects. The name of our company honors legendary director, Akira Kurosawa, who was praised for his humanist compassion and inspired us to become filmmakers. 

To learn more about Humanist Films:
humanistfilms.com

“VISIONS OF WARRIORS” INTERVIEWED BY TV8 ABOUT ITS VAIL FILM FESTIVAL WORLD PREMIERE

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We had the honor of being interviewed by Mark Sassi of Vail’s TV8 about our world premiere at the Vail Film Festival. Thank you to Mark and his team for helping us to raise awareness about the rise of veteran mental illness and the power of innovative photography therapy to treat it. Thank you as well to the Megen Musegades, Krista Ammirato, and the Vail Film Festival for setting up this interview.

Watch the interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMvndz3lAQE&feature=youtu.be

To learn more: 
http://www.vailfilmfestival.com/documentaries-1/