Mental Health Foundation Australia presents
2nd Multicultural Mental Health Film Festival
join us on 31 October 2024!
Announcing the Official Selections for the 2024 Multicultural Mental Health Film Festival!
We proudly present a diverse lineup of short films exploring mental health and multiculturalism through powerful storytelling. Join us on Thursday, October 31st at 6:30pm at Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn, Melbourne, to celebrate these incredible filmmakers and their contributions.
SELECTED FILMS (Australian)
SELECTED FILMS (INTERNATIONAL)
About
Now open to international submissions, the festival highlights the impact of mental illness on people from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to Armenian, Indian, Palestinian, Chinese, Filipino, African, Iranian, African-American, Italian, Caucasian, German, Irish, Spanish, Hawaiian, Mexican, Greek, Jewish, Korean, and Turkish communities.
We celebrate and champion all voices and talents by seeking films that explore themes of language, identity, culture, religion, sociocultural and economic stressors, political issues, migrant and refugee struggles, xenophobia, and intergenerational trauma.
These films should address how mental illnesses, such as addiction, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, insomnia, OCD, PTSD, personality disorders, phobias, and schizophrenia, intersect with these aspects of identity and culture.
Our aim is to showcase the power of diversity and highlight important stories from all cultures and communities.

Mental illness can come in many forms, and: Addictions, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, insomnias, OCD, PTSD, personality disorders, phobias, and schizophrenic disorders, to name a few. What can get in the way of treatments, dialogues and discussions is stigma, especially the stigmas that run deep within some multicultural communities.
We believe that by making the Festival open in international categories, we can see and showcase the way that mental illness affects individual and communities from diverse cultures in either similar or different ways, detailed in people from all across the world, not just Australia. Whether fictitious or lived experiences, we seek films that showcase sociocultural, economic and or political stressors, refugee traumas, xenophobia, intergenerational traumas, and crises of identity, culture, and religion. Films about Indigenous stories (Australian or other) are strongly considered to apply.
We aim to use this Festival as a platform to showcase diverse mental health stories, fostering understanding and unity among communities. By sharing multicultural mental health stories, our goal is to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage communities to come together to support each other and one another.
Matthew Keisoglu
Festival Director, Multicultural Mental Health Film Festival
Reviews
We are deeply grateful for the heartfelt stories shared by those who have been touched by the Multicultural Mental Health Film Festival. Here, you'll find inspiring testimonials from filmmakers who have supported our mission to raise awareness and understanding of mental health in multicultural communities. These personal accounts highlight the festival's impact in fostering empathy, breaking down stigmas, and celebrating diverse experiences. We thank you for being part of this journey and helping us build a supportive, informed community that promotes mental wellbeing for all.
Fantastic communication, care and professionalism. A festival with lots of heart that evidently believes in the power of film for social change and specifically shining a spotlight on mental health. Would absolutely recommend.
Kaylene Tyler
Remarkable festival. wonderful communication throughout and amazing hospitality to our film rep who attended the event.
Radheya Jegatheva
It was an amazing experience and wonderful space to share our diverse story and shed an important light on health story with audiences. It was an honour to have our film screened. Congrats to Matthew and the team for organising such a great Film Festival to share multicultural stories with a very important message.
Kamil Domaradzki
Our Judges

Matthew Keisoglu
Matthew Keisoglu is an award-winning filmmaker who specialises in horror cinema. Matthew’s work focuses on narratives that explore the intersection of sociocultural heritage and supernatural elements. He earned both a bachelor’s and Honours Degree in Film and Television from Deakin University before embarking on his current pursuit of a Master of Arts degree, where he is completing his latest short film When Dogs Bark.
His films have garnered international acclaim, with screenings in Istanbul, Los Angeles, Florida, New York, and London, along with virtual showcases in online film festivals worldwide.
Beyond his role as a filmmaker, Matthew contributes to the global film community as a judge for the prestigious International Brightlight Film Festival, lending his expertise to identify and celebrate emerging talents. His insights and experiences have been sought after by various media outlets, including SBS Armenian, the Student World Impact Film Festival's Film Sessions podcast, 3CR Community Radio, and AGBU Melbourne, where he shares his journey and artistic vision.
As the Festival Director of the Mental Health Foundation Australia’s Multicultural Mental Health Film Festival, he spearheads initiatives to foster understanding and support through the power of storytelling. He has a cat named Sherlock.

Ramin Iranfar
Ramin Iranfar is an editor, producer, and screenwriter. Originally from Iran, he moved to the UK at the age of 13. Growing up in a multicultural environment fostered his deep understanding and appreciation of different cultures.
Ramin has further broadened his horizons by living in the UAE and the US, connecting with people from various walks of life. His passion for understanding people and their experiences led him to pursue a degree in Psychology, enhancing his ability to empathize and connect with others. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Film from Deakin University and is committed to creating platforms that allow authentic voices to share their stories with the world without limitations. Ramin has been an active member of the Australian film and TV industry for over six years. Currently, he works with the Mental Health Foundation Australia as a producer, editor, and videographer for their podcast series, Empowering Voices of Harmony.

Anastasiya Bura
Anastasiya Bura is a film director and filmmaker exploring culture and human psychology around the world. Originally Ukrainian, she uses her extensive experience of living in Dubai, UAE and Lisbon, Portugal to tell stories and understand life. She is currently completing 2 short documentaries, “Hustlers of Dubai” and “My Playground” exploring human ambition in sports and the creative world. Anastasiya uses film and storytelling as a form of detangling complex personal emotions and dealing with the stress of life.

Roby J. D’Ottavi
Roby J. D’Ottavi is a writer, director and columnist whose work has appeared in The Age, Frankie Magazine, FilmInk and Buzzfeed. He completed the Advanced Diploma in Professional Screenwriting at RMIT in 2022.
Roby's debut short film The Traveler was released in 2021, with his sophomore effort now circulating festivals

Professor Sarah Wilson
Sarah Wilson is a leading international researcher in brain and mental health, who has more than 30 years of clinical experience in the Victorian public and private sectors, working with people who have complex mental health conditions.
She also has more than 15 years of executive and senior leadership experience at the University of Melbourne, most recently as Pro Vice-Chancellor of Student Life.

Dr Bulent Hass Dellal AO
Dr Bulent (Hass) Dellal AO is the Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation, Chair of the Australian Multicultural Council, the former Chair of SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) and appointed Panel Chair for the Commonwealth’s Multicultural Framework Review, May 2023. He has over 30 years of experience in multicultural affairs and serves on a number of committees and boards.

Bwe Thay
Bwe is a spirited advocate for a multicultural Australia. He works to develop the capacity of multicultural communities, with a focus on leadership development, education and employment outcomes. His involvement extends from working with individual communities to advocacy at the highest levels. His work informs the direction and policy of service providers, businesses and all levels of government.
Bwe has held many leadership roles within Victoria’s multicultural sector and is an Attaché for the Mental Health Foundation of Australia. He has been widely recognised for his advocacy, community service and professional achievements, including the Whitehorse City Council’s 2022 Citizen of the Year Award. With his strong commitment to promoting harmony by engaging and bringing communities together to build a vibrant society, Bwe’s practical, hands-on approach is well recognised within multicultural communities.