Michael Clayton kicks off film series

Tom Wilkinson and George Clooney star in the legal thriller Michael Clayton.

Among the many accolades and Oscar nominations for the film Michael Clayton was an award for its depiction of bipolar disorder. Prism Awards honor the accurate depictions of addictions and mental health issues in film and television.

In the movie, Tom Wilkinson plays a powerful, well-respected attorney with bipolar disorder who has a psychotic break and strips naked in a courtroom, claiming he’s Shiva the god of death. He refuses to take his medication, saying life is clearer than it’s ever been.

It’s the reason why Tim Krahn, a researcher with Novel Tech Ethics, picked the thriller to kick off the film series, The Bioethics of Mental Health. Now in its third year, the series screens four films over four consecutive Wednesdays, with each film followed by a panel discussion. Screenings take place in Royal Bank Theatre of the Halifax Infirmary, 1796 Summer St., Halifax. Showtime is 7 p.m.

“Film is a great way to get a discussion rolling… it appeals to clinicians and researchers and mental health consumers,” says Mr. Krahn. “We can appeal to a great diversity of interest and raise awareness in terms of mental health issues.”

George Clooney as Michael Clayton starts off the series on January 14. Leading off the panel discussion afterwards are Dalhousie experts Marika Warren, assistant professor with the Department of Bioethics; Sheila Wildeman, assistant professor of law; Susan Kilbride Roper, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began a peer support group; and Claire O’Donovan, associate professor of psychiatry and a clinical psychiatrist with the Capital Health District Authority.

Other films being screened are: The Savages, exploring issues of aging and dying, on January 21; Music Within (disability rights) on January 28; and Charlie Bartlett (ADHD, teen identity) on February 4.

Last year, an overflow crowd turned out for the film Away from Her and the discussion on Alzheimer’s disease afterwards. More than 550 people turned out for the series overall, which included screenings of Awakenings, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Thumbsucker.

For more info: Novel Tech Ethics