The Directors: five short films exploring lived experience of psychosis

Film still from The Directors: Mark, Marcus Coates (2022) produced by Artangel and commissioned with Art Fund support

To mark World Mental Health Day 2023 on Tuesday 10 October 2023, Science Gallery London is partnering with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and Artangel to screen The Directors, a series of short films by artist Marcus Coates that explores the lived experience of psychosis.

The Directors is a collaboration between Artangel, artist Marcus Coates and five individuals in recovery from different lived experiences of psychosis. Positioned behind the camera, each individual directed Coates in a filmed restaging of particular episodes from their lives. During the filming, Coates received instructions from each director leading to a dialogue which remains a key element in each film.

Through The Directors, Coates’ intention was to find ways in which people can relate to the breadth and complexity of psychotic experiences and to help reduce cultural stigma around psychosis and mental health in general.

On 10 October, IoPPN will host a free public screening at King’s Denmark Hill campus of one of the films, The Directors: Marcus, followed by a panel discussion between the artist Marcus Coates and the director Marcus Gordon, with contributions from clinicians and experts in psychiatry.

On the same night, Science Gallery London will screen The Directors: Mark followed by a panel discussion which looks at the role of the arts and artists in re-framing how we think about mental health conditions.

Book for The Directors: Mark at Science Gallery London (Guy’s campus)

Book for The Directors: Marcus at King’s IoPPN (Denmark Hill campus)

More information is available on What’s Going On? - a new website created to highlight the project and share associated background materials as an educational resource. For more information about The Directors please visit the Artangel website.