Feel
A personal project exploring how men struggle with emotional vulnerability.
London-based director Kai Blamey Nguyen approaches the subject of men’s mental health with a contemplative dance film choreographed by movement director Mikey Boats. Together, they weave a dark and sensitive visual tapestry of the unvoiced struggles that affect a man’s mental wellbeing.
Director’s statement:
“This was a personal project conceived to raise awareness about men’s mental health. The film was imagined as an invitation to start a wider conversation about how men struggle to express their emotional vulnerability. Set against the backdrop of a workingmen’s club (a private social club founded in industrial parts of the United Kingdom during the 19th century), I chose to employ intimate silhouetted photography of a central male protagonist as he struggles alone with his mental wellbeing, and publicly in the midst of a group of other men. The soundtrack cuts against the grain of my theme insomuch as it invites contemplation rather than underlining a particular message in any obvious way. It was important for me to use gentleness as the carrier of an idea that is so often characterized by aggression.
In tackling a subject that isn’t spoken about openly, dance seemed like the most sensitive form to mirror how I feel. In hindsight, the whole process served as a surprisingly meaningful therapeutic experience for all involved. In our uniquely intimate location setting, emotional boundaries quickly melted away. The theme seemed to bring us all closer together. We found ourselves talking to one another about the pain that we had experienced in silence. In a sense, I will cherish the memory of bonding with my crew and collaborators as much as the final piece we have made.”
