Documentary A SISTER'S CALL Brings Mental Illness Into Spotlight

A Sister's Call, winner of the San Diego Film Festivals Best Documentary prize, among more than a dozen other awards, was also nominated for Oxford American Magazines coveted title of "Best Southern Film" in 2012. Speaking on the films impact, Michael Dunaway from PASTE Magazine called the movie, "A haunting explanation of the meaning of family. It unpacks its secrets slowly and to devastating effect. The characters will stay with you long after you leave the theater."

Director as well as a participant in the documentary, Rebecca Schaper , has said, "We have all been very touched by audiences everywhere embracing our film. It was our mission that this project might help hurting people heal and we're just thrilled to see the positive response."

The project is currently touring the country with independent community screenings and discussion with people whose lives have been affected by someone they have known with a mental illness. The life of the entire Richmond family continues to heal hurting lives through A Sister's Call. Director Tekiela says that their "goal from day one-teach the audience about the illness simply by letting them experience it in all its beauty and horror." Though the principal subject of the documentary, Call Richmond passed away in September of 2012, the impact of his life will live on through the film.

Filmed over fourteen years, the documentary tells the story of Call and Rebecca Richmond who were born into Atlanta's high society. To their neighbors, they appeared to be the perfect family. But nothing could have been further from the truth. Mary, their mother, a beautiful and dazzling socialite, was in reality plagued by paranoid schizophrenia, and battled her sickness with alcohol and narcotics, while her doctors administered a continuous series of shock treatments. Their father, a debonaire war hero, tried to keep up the facade of success while in turn hiding his own horrifying secrets.

With only a semester of college remaining, Call gave in to his own fight with paranoid schizophrenia and simply walked out on his life. Overwhelmed by the voices in his head, he began wandering the country, drifting in and out of sanity. Amazingly, after twenty years of searching, Rebecca found her brother alive, but not well...A Sister's Call chronicles Rebecca's heroic mission to bring her brother back from the depths of homelessness and schizophrenia all while seeking a way to heal herself and her family from the tragedies of her past.

Related Links

Documentary A SISTER'S CALL Brings Mental Illness Into Spotlight January 08, 2013