Updated October 29, 2020

An Australian animated short film series is taking the idea of having honest and open conversations about young people’s mental health journeys and spinning it in a truly beautiful direction by setting them against gentle, artful animation and music.

The Woven Threads series has already received acclaim for its first season, which focused on stories from and about refugees. But in its second tilt, the spotlight is being shone on youth mental health and the struggles that young Australians go through.

With its second series launching last week, coinciding with World Mental Health Day, Woven Threads is now looking to spotlight a range of complex issues that young Aussies face, including addiction, depression and anxiety, eating disorders, and even PTSD triggered by last year’s catastrophic bushfires.

The first three episodes of the series are available to be viewed below.

In episode one, we hear from 16-year-old Olive who discusses her journey with depression, anxiety, and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder; one that began when she was just nine-years-old, and one that, post filming, saw her hospitalised for four months.

In episode two, Pete – a farmer from north-western NSW – details the mental toll that the on-going drought has taken on him, leading to anxiety and depression; both problems that aren’t traditionally talked about in the stoic, male-focused farming industries in remote parts of the country.

Episode three follows 19-year-old Jett, a dancer and performer who speaks of the difficulties that come with reckoning your own sexuality, and the bullying and harassment he received as a young LGBTQI person; treatment that lead to self-harm and, ultimately, anorexia nervosa.

The series is the brainchild of director and filmmaker Michi Marosszeky, and is being produced in conjunction with Black Dog Institute.

With this current series, the film’s producers are aiming to “bring us one step closer to de-stigmatising mental health issues in Australia and the world by giving mental health sufferers the opportunity to share their stories and experiences.”

The series is due to produce and release several more episodes detailing varied stories from ordinary young Australians dealing with horrific mental health issues.

You can learn more about Woven Threads via the series’ website.

Help is available.

If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.

If you are in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online.

Have something on your mind? You can reach out to BeyondBlue at 1300 22 4636 or chat online.

Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.