Mark and Steve are brothers, who continue to live together well into their young adulthood. They share much more than a home, and their days are spent in playful banter over the silliest of everyday situations. But the two share a very deep bond and watch out for each other, understand the other’s shortcomings and often provide help and advice. One day a tragedy befalls them when Steven, who had gone out with his friends from work, is involved in a car crash. Mark feels that he is somehow responsible for what has happened to steven. Unable to forgive himself and unwilling to see it any other way, a troubled Mark starts hearing voices in his head, confusing him furthermore, driving him towards a meltdown. Does Mark get a grip on himself in time?
‘Mind’ is a narrative short from director Joshua Griffiths. Griffiths addresses a very important topic that concerns today’s generation, mental health. Griffiths, through his character Mark shows us that it does not take much for a normal person to slip down the rabbit hole and without some external help it becomes impossible to wriggle out of the hole. ‘Mind’ sets the action in what seems like the house next door in what seems like your very own neighbourhood. The visuals of the film give us an early insight into the troubled mind of Mark. The entire story plays out inside the claustrophobic confines of their city home, conveying the closed space in Mark’s mind that he is unable to break out of. Even when Mark leaves home to pick up alcohol, the camera stays back, refusing to go out in the open and out of the confines of familiar space. The disorienting visual cuts also work to the benefit of conveying the confusions in Mark’s mind.
‘Mind’ is an important message about mental health. It emphasises the importance of seeking help. One should never commit the mistake of attempting to deal with difficult situations and the best thing to do in such circumstances is to reach out, to a friend, a well-wisher or a professional. As Mark says at the beginning, ‘the mind is a very powerful thing, especially when used in the wrong way’.
