Date/Time
Date(s) - 09/10/2024
5:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Save the date for the Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Being Family hosted by ARMS on Wednesday October 9, 2024 at 5:30pm EST!

Event Overview

Join us at the L.R. Wilson Concert Hall for an exclusive screening of Being Family followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Amanda Sim and Dr. Nadeem Akhtar, moderated by Dr. Marisa Young, on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, from 5:00 to 8:30 PM. The event will include appetizers, a catered reception, and a cash bar.

To get your film screening tickets, register here!

Event Schedule

• 5:00 PM – Guest Arrival; Appetizers, Coffee, and Tea (Waller Lobby)
• 5:30 PM – Welcome and Introduction to the Project by Dr. Marisa Young
• 5:40 PM – Film Screening: Being Family (Concert Hall)
• 6:40 PM – Film Concludes; Short Break (Waller Lobby)
• 6:45 PM – Panel Discussion (Concert Hall)
  • Featuring Dr. Amanda Sim and Dr. Nadeem Akhtar, Moderated by Dr. Marisa Young
• 7:30 PM – Reception with Catering and Cash Bar (Waller Lobby)
• 8:30 PM – Event Concludes

About the Film

Being Family was co-created by, with, and for migrant and displaced children and families living on the Thailand-Myanmar border. The film was created as part of the Global Parenting Initiative to promote positive parenting and reduce violence against children in the Global South. Produced in partnership with the Sermpanya Foundation, the film follows the lives of two families living on the Thailand-Myanmar border and how they navigate the challenges of poverty, insecurity, and displacement. Being Family showcases the power of storytelling to spark positive change in the lives of children and families affected by adversity. Join principal investigator Dr. Amanda Sim and psychiatrist film maker Dr. Nadeem Akhtar for an exclusive film screening and panel discussion on film as a tool for mental health promotion and awareness raising.

About Dr. Amanda Sim

Dr. Amanda Sim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences and the Global Health graduate program and a core member of the Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster University. She has over 15 years of experience conducting research with children and families affected by war and forced displacement and has worked extensively throughout Asia and Africa. Her research is rooted in equitable community partnership and engagement aimed at promoting the mental health and well-being of families affected by global adversity.

About Dr. Nadeem Akhtar

Dr. Nadeem Akhtar is a film-maker, psychiatrist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University. He founded CinéPsych in 2017, pioneering non-profit trainee film making and events initiative that makes metaphorical films about mental health conditions on a zero budget.  CinéPsych films are designed as discussion points for anti-stigma education and scripts are informed by those with lived experience.