Monache students honored in mental health filmmaking contest

Monache students Manny Cha and Salvador Renteria have been honored on a filmmaking contest dealing with mental health.

The Directing Change Program & Film Contest has announced the regional finalists in the 10th annual student contest encourgaing students to create short film and art projects about suicide prevention, mental health, managing through tough times, the impact of the pandemic and heading back to inperson edcuation.

Cha and Renteria under advisor Bobby Styles were among the regional and statewide finalists. They were among the Region 4 Suicide Prevention Finalists from Tulare County, receiving the Third Place Suicide Prevention Award for “You Are Not Alone.” Their film can be seen at the following link: https:// vimeo.com/681507936

The program is an annual art and film contest and is part of statewide suicide prevention and mental health efforts funded by county agencies and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority.

“Our youth filmmakers created unique and educational films, expressing the importance of mental health awareness, while remaining hopeful and reminding their peers they are not alone. Youth are experiencing a time unlike any we’ve ever been through, and we are grateful that we create space for them to process and express how they feel, while learning valuable coping and suicide prevention skills,” said Shanti Bond-martinez, Senior Program Manager.

Students who created a first-place winning film will be recognized at a virtual ceremony featured on Facebook live on May 17 at 7 p.m. at https:// fb.me/e/4ib3xd33p