Orange County Films

"Through a Different Lens" is about how a person who seemingly has a great life can become depressed and not know how to deal with it. The filmmakers wanted to spread awareness about this important topic.

"Our film 'That's What Friends Are For' highlights a friend helping another who's struggling with thoughts of suicide. It emphasizes the power of friendship and taking action when noticing warning signs, aligning with the goal of raising awareness on how to prevent suicide among teens."

"Our video was created simply to provide hope. A lot of people our age struggle with the multitudes of responsibilities they have and often times feel overwhelmed. Our video also serves to pass the message that no matter where you are, you are not alone."

"Unsaid is a short film targeting Suicide Prevention. We face the difficulty of fully expressing our true thoughts and emotions during moments where we feel defeated. Many things are left unsaid as we struggle to be honest with ourselves and others. In retrospect, saying what is actually on our minds is the first step in receiving...

"A black and white world showing people who are depressed and feel sad. Then, they see someone reaching out to them and they take their hand. They are then brought into color and feel welcomed and happy again."

"It is a short film about a student/designer who struggles due to him comparing himself to others. He does not think he is good enough or will ever become what he wants to be. He feels alone and lost, and is stubborn to get help. Once he finally does get help, he learns to work with...

"Hailey is a teenager who struggles with suicidal thoughts. We are introduced to her with her parents arguing in the background, and later showing signs of isolation and giving away her prized possessions to her friend, Sidney. After a long day, Hailey opens up about her feelings to Sidney when she texts to check up on...

"In this short film, two friends notice changes in their friend Sarah's behavior and talk about what to do. I used this film as an opportunity to reference some of the symptoms of depression (pulling away from friends and activities, not caring about things) and also to reference the advice about getting an adult involved. Her...

"I See Through Your Smile is a film that specifically brushes on the topic of suicide, speaking on the not-so-subtle signs one can easily miss. Told in the perspective of an 'outsider,' we are able to understand the hardships of those having these thoughts and the facade they carry to mask their pain."

A supportive friend reaches out to a girl who shows the warning signs of suicide, and goes to a school counselor with her.

A film that shows that those who are considering suicide may mask their feelings in front of others and the importance of reaching out to someone who is struggling, even if it may be a difficult conversation to start.

A girl's bracelet, which represents her mental health, breaks apart, but a friend steps in to support her.

"Seasons of Hope" shows that even when you feel like the world is moving too fast for you to keep up with, you can still find hope. The film is a reminder to slow down and take a breath and encourages mental health understanding and support.

"Look at You Now is a short film relating to looking at how much one can grow and change. It's a reflection of someone's mental health journey and how enlightening it is to see a positive change as opposed to giving up."

"My video submission is based on the focus of how mental health may be hard to speak up about for some people. The focus is on what the end result may be for a person who builds up the courage to reach out for assistance against their mental health struggles."

Mental health comes in many colors, each with a different meaning and a different story. Told through the metaphor of mental health's symbolic green ribbon, this entry aims to inspire young adults to reach out, break the stigma, and come together to face the challenges life throws at us.

"This PSA is for the 'Mental Health' prompt. Our PSA follows a high school girl as she struggles with anxiety symptoms. Her friend notices and reaches out to help . The PSA attempts to help destigmatize mental health by showing both how common struggles with mental health are and how to reach out to those who...

"My submission is about a video representing someone with mental health problems and how she feels it."

"Beyond the Surface" takes a creative approach to telling the story of someone experiencing a mental health challenge and shares the message that no matter the circumstance you are going through regarding mental health, there is help available.

A student checks in on a friend she's concerned about and offers help, and then connects her friend to counseling.

A student texts another to voice their concerns, and the recipient student decides to reach out to a trusted adult.

A film depicting how sensory issues can impact day to day life and how to be a supportive friend to someone who is struggling.

A film about running as a metaphor for mental health, showing that having friends' support helps in the mental health journey.

A youth struggling with their mental health seeks out help from a crisis line.

"Who am I to Complain" centers on the eldest daughter in a Vietnamese family who struggles with mental health due to stress and the pressures of perfectionism. Though she is initially unsupported, she doesn't lose hope and decides to get help.

This film explores mental health through the lens of Vietnamese culture, touching on identity, communication, and inter-generational barriers.

"Hues of Hope" centers on Billy, a character that could represent anyone suffering from mental illness. The story of Billy shows his growth as he gains strength from his friends to advocate for himself, eventually getting the help he needs.

"La Lucha Invisible" acknowledges how difficult it can be to reach out in the Hispanic community and encourages those who are struggling to find the courage to seek help.

This film provides insight into mental health in Jewish culture and encourages those who may be struggling to speak out.

This is a film about the struggles and pressures of living in a traditional Hispanic household and shows the impact of not allowing people to express their emotions.

“Cambiemos el Pasado” tackles the burdens put on youth when they feel pressured to live up to the expectations of immigrant parents. The film discusses the stress and anxiety that unachievable standards can cause and asks parents to break the cycle of generational trauma.

“Hot Pot” shows an Asian son not knowing how to confide in his father. The son is struggling in school and with his mental health; he does not want to disappoint his father who came to America for his education. By the end of the film, the son works up the courage to express his stress...

This film seeks to uplift those struggling with mental health in the Latino community, showing them that there's support and hope.

A parent and youth have a dialogue in Spanish about the youth's mental health and the parent does not understand, but the film offers a positive message of support.

A first-generation Vietnamese youth feels misunderstood by his parents, but opens up to a supportive friend.

A news announcement about the importance of talking about mental health in the Latinx community.

Students help each other cope with stress by finding their strengths and getting support from trusted adults.

A Latina youth shares the difficulty she and others in her community have sharing their feelings with their families. She is inspired by SanaMente, California's mental health movement, and decides to help herself and others in her community by talking openly about mental health

A girl is feeling pressured and struggling with anxiety from being the first in her family to get an education. She found help on the SanaMente website. Una niña se siente presionada y esta batallando con ansiedad de ser la primera en su familia a recibir una educación. Encuentra ayuda en el sitio de SanaMente.

A 3d animation that takes place in one room, where narrator asks their friend directly if they are thinking of suicide.

An animated film about a friend who noticed warning signs that their friend needed help.

Our film is an animated short focused on reaching out to loved ones who may be suffering with depression or suicidal thoughts. It focuses on a boy in emotional pain, and he exhibits many signs of somebody with suicidal thoughts. His friend notices these signs in him and she decides to reach out in order to...

A protagonist, depressed at the hopelessness of their life, goes to his desk and tears out the pages of his life, his memories. Ultimately, though, his actions draw the sympathy of a dear friend of his, who reminds him that, even when everything seems terrible, every moment of his life means something.

"You Are Not Alone" provides positive examples of how to get help when faced with depression and other challenges.

This film is about showing empathy to those who are going through a tough time and being open to understanding others' situations.

This unique and creative film reimagines "Alice in Wonderland" to tell a story about youth mental health.

"Jessica got out of a relationship where she gave a lot, but her boyfriend didn't. Now she is giving all of her favorite things away to her friend in her plan to commit suicide. Her friend notices the warning signs and directly asks if she is planning suicide."

"In the film, "Listening" we wanted to bring awareness of the seriousness of mental health and how beneficial it can be to listen to our peers and loved ones when it comes to mental health."

"A story about a student in middle school with depression. He strugles to find friends but someone steps up."

"Tim is missing his brother Sammy who passed away less than a year before. He decides he his going to end his life and see Sammy that night. His friend Ronald sees the warning, Tim's anger and that he has made suicide plan and gets him help."

"Our entry relates to the required content submission criteria (walk in our shoes) because we showcase the struggles of family relationships and how there is always someone who wants to help. Some families face the struggle of mental or physical abuse, lack of communication, dissociation, or toxic family situations. In this video, we specifically focus on...

"The video realates back to the required criteria since it is about Walk in our shoes. Our video shows the perspective of a girl who has social anxiety, and is scared of talking to people and had a fear of making new friends. Untill she meets someone who starts talking to her and she's unsure of...

"My submission relates back to the required content submission criteria by showing how a girl gets her mental health and how she solves it."

"Culture can be shown in different perspectives and characteristics throughout our communities. Our video shows a representation of how we use different language, shared experience, and emotion to portray how we deal with expressing how we are feeling around others. It is hard to be vulnerable in front of others that may be from a different...

This film is about causes and symptoms of anxiety, as well as how to handle them.

We want viewers to be able to relate to the film, but our true goal was to share and express the feeling of overcoming a hard time in life and to share hope through a personal story. We just have to keep that hope alive no matter what.

It is important to us that people know they aren't a bother. Their problems matter, and there are people who care about what they are going through. We have seen people feel like they don't have anyone to talk to, and we want to help make our school and community a more welcoming and caring place.

It is important for my friends to know that they are never a bother. They can come to me with any problems, and as a peer mentor, I want to be there for my friends and point them in the right direction.

It is important for our parents to know what we are going through. We have different experiences from them, and they can't always relate. This can affect our mental health and our relationship with them. We want to bring more awareness to this struggle that students have with their parents.

Sometimes it is hard for my parents to understand me and for me to open up to them. Working with my team helped me to feel better knowing that my friends go through similar things. We want our parents to understand how important mental health is to us.

I want to help bring awareness to the fact that students are going through a lot more than their parents might realize.

I created this piece because I believe it's something others such as students like myself can relate to and deeply relate to it.

As I'm growing up and becoming more independent, I've struggled with being overwhelmed by school, my commitments, and my busy schedule. I know my parents want to help me but don't always know how. I want them to know that, because of all the things they have taught me and the values they have instilled in...

“All it takes is one message to ask if someone is ok. It may be hard to reach out, but in the end it will be worth it. I believe it's important to share how we feel. We should feel no shame in telling our friends about our mental health.”

“Our film highlights a unique spot at Buena Park High School. It's more than just a room, it's where we go when things get tough. Here, you're never just another face in the crowd – you're greeted, heard, and supported. It's about the everyday reassurance that we're not alone in this.”

“If you notice that a friend is sad, you should talk to them. It’s okay if you don’t always know what to say; most of the time, people just need someone to listen to them.”

My submission relates to the required criteria because I start with a simple drum beat and add more to make it sound like a whole song/riff and then I have captions that say just like adding more than one sound to make a beat completely different. You can be more than one friend, son/daughter, or somebody...

“In my film, I talk about my hopes and goals for 2023. I include my own personal goals, my hopes for my loved ones, and my hopes for my community.”

"In this film, I talk about my three goals for the new year."

In our entry, we showcase the story of a high school water polo coach and her journey with mental health. Coach Veronica reveals her past struggles in battling her mental health issues with depression and ADHD and how water polo became a sanctuary for her. The tight-knit community of teammates helped support Coach Veronica through her...

Our submission is about ideas to give you hope while going through a though time. We provided a few tips with tangible actions to take. The idea was to ensure that students have an opportunity to have "toolkit" in case of needing help.

We showed how people may not know others' backgrounds and what they could be feeling and not to judge them for it.

Our video is meant to show what others think hope is or what they are hoping for. We hope that people will feel encouraged by this to share their hope with the world and not be scared to show their hopes and dreams.

“This video is about my Japanese American culture and origins and about the recent situations with Asian Hate. I believe that Asian Hate crimes are causing widespread depression among the Asian community and I have taken step in the direction of what I believe I can do to help."

“My goal for creating this entry is to inform and bring awareness to the community that sexual abuse can be the cause of mental health diagnoses. Bringing people, organizations, resources together is something I feel is impactful based on my experience, as well as inspire and encourage others to seek help and let individuals know they...