Hong Fook Virtual Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Since COVID-19 outbreak, the hidden risk factors impacting immigrant mental health have been increasingly influential now more than ever, but are still largely ignored and rarely heard. In March 2021, Hong Fook Mental Health Foundation presented the film The World is Bright in partnership Story Money Impact.
In this film, when Qian Hui Deng and Xue Mei Li are notified by the Canadian government about their son Shi-Ming’s sudden death and burial on Canadian soil, they decide to travel from Beijing to Vancouver to search for answers. This documentary film chronicles the journey of the grieving parents as they navigate a new culture and a complex web of bureaucracy to uncover the truth behind their son’s death by suicide. The film thoroughly examines the intersection of immigration, family expectations and mental health. Set within the larger context of global migration and the growing anti-immigration sentiment around the world, the film also acts as an urgent call for solutions: How do we build a society that can be a real home, both physically and mentally fulfilling, for our future generations?
The campaign reached out to 28,464 contacts and generated 280 views of the film. On April 7, almost 100 people attended the wrap-up virtual panel discussion joined by the film director and four mental health professionals from different cultural background. 60.1% of attendees were immigrants themselves. 35.9% have experienced mental health challenges themselves, while 81% knew of someone who did. Through the panel discussion, 98.1% will take steps to become more competent in starting, and dealing with, mental health conversations. Thanks to all the supporters, this campaign has also helped raise almost $10,000 in two months, for more resources to develop the youth corner at our new Downtown site, which is the area highly populated by post-secondary students.