Horizons narrow for those overshadowed by depression. It shapes a life of reduced expectations, compromised talents and unfulfilled emotional relationships. It erodes self-esteem.

Despair is the first full-length documentary about depression to consider the pervasive mood disorder from multi-ethnic viewpoints. In culturally sensitive personal portraits and riveting interviews with psychiatrists, social workers and spiritual leaders from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, this uncommonly eloquent documentary explores depressive illness from traditional and nontraditional perspectives. Classical music and jazz, poetry and art enrich Despair as it unmasks the stigma and denial which veil a misunderstood and potentially fatal illness.

This brilliant documentary will become essential viewing in psychology, public health, sociology and multicultural studies. Harriet Koskoff, who also produced the award-winning Patently Offensive: Porn Under Siege, is available by special arrangement to introduce and discuss the film.

"Unusual and revealing video." Booklist

"Despair is the first film to explore intersections between depression and other dimensions of social and cultural identity ... a ground-breaking film, in both a clinical context and a general social justice education context." MultiCultural Review

"Unlike most of the films which tended to highlight either the scientific expertise of mental health professionals or the social and cultural narratives of people with various psychological disabilities, Despair emerges as the one that seamlessly merges the two." MultiCultural Review

First Place Winner, Media Awards Competition, National Council on Family Relations, 1995
Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture, Santa Fe, 2001
Featured, California Psychiatric Association, 1999
Featured, APA Institute on Psychiatric Services, 1998
International Congress on Mental Health, 1997
American Public Health Association Film Festival, 1997
AMA International Health & Medical Film Competition, 1997
American Psychiatric Association, 1996
First Place, Media, National Council on Family Relations, 1995
Western Psychological Association, 1995