"Can" to screen in Boston on Sat., Oct 25

[Pearl J. Park]

The Boston Asian American Film Festival (www.baaff.org) presents

Can

New England Premiere
2012 | 65 mins | USA | Documentary 
Directed by Pearl J. Park

Saturday, October 25, 1:00PM
Bright Family Screening Room, The Paramount Center (559 Washington Street, Boston)

2012 | 65 mins | Documentary
Directed by Pearl J. Park

What does it take to heal from mental illness? Can Truong, a war refugee who was among the millions of boat people who fled Vietnam in the 1970's, was a model student, aspiring to become a doctor, when he was diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder. After years of unsuccessfully trying conventional medical treatments for his mental illnesses, Can becomes involved in the mental health consumer movement, a social and political effort by people labeled with mental illnesses who believe in recovery through self-determination and peer support. Inspired by his peers, he embarks on a healing journey of a different kind — trying to reconcile cultural differences with his very traditional Confucian father and attempts to make sense of his childhood wounds. He serves as a volunteer on numerous mental health organizations that promote recovery and explores spiritual and holistic healing modalities.  

For additional info about the film, please visit amongourkin.org. To purchase tickets, please visit http://www.baaff.org/can.html

"This is a phenomenal film!"

— Vasudev Makhija, M.D., President, The New Jersey Psychiatric Association

"This film captures the spirit of the person, not just the diagnosis. I give it a '10'!" 

— DJ Ida, Ph.D., Exec. Dir., National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association

"An eye-opener about the immigrant Asian American experience with mental illness. A gem of a film for ethnic studies—one that dispels the model minority myth. It is an instrumental tool in teaching people of all backgrounds about mental illness and Asian American immigrant families."

— Shinhee Han, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of Psychology; Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, Columbia University

To buy a DVD of "Can," please visit:  http://www.amongourkin.org/purchase.html