- By AC Remler
- Photo By Stephany Yantorn
An inspirational documentary about the healing journeys of trauma survivors called unMASKing HOPE premieres nationally on public television beginning Jan. 23, 2023.
From 9/11 and mass shooting survivors to military combat soldiers and sexual assault victims, unMASKing HOPE explores the all-too-familiar face of trauma through the stories of survivors as they emerge from beneath masks that hide their emotional scars and hinder their recovery.
Helmed by Eric Christiansen (Searching for Home: Coming Back from War), the film chronicles their extraordinary healing journeys through deeply personal interviews, interpretive dance, and lyrical animation. These remarkable individuals demonstrate the resiliency of the human spirit and promote tolerance and empathy for those who have been stigmatized by unthinkable traumatic events. Ultimately, unMASKing HOPE shares a powerful message of hope that can inspire audiences to unmask their own hope.
The film features top mental health professionals sharing their expertise to educate viewers about the struggles that survivors face as they try to heal their wounds. Notable interviews include Stanford University’s Amit Etkin, MD, PhD, and Founder and CEO of Alto Neuroscience; M. Katherine Shear, MD, Columbia, The Center for Prolonged Grief; and Arieh Y. Shalev, MD, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The film has even partnered with Give an Hour, a national non-profit that provides mental health services, to offer free resources for those struggling and create the largest impact possible around the film’s critical issues.
For more, click here.
