héréditaire.

the ask.

This was a passion project we self-produced. We wanted to create a short film that explored mental illness in families. 

the answer.

Shot on location in Brittany, France, the film portrays a man’s concern and internal thoughts that he too will suffer the same fate as his depressed father.

The film follows the man’s isolating and physically demanding work on an oyster farm, but his internal thoughts become overwhelming: “My father gave it to me… Something dark came up and took him away… Something that surely waits for me.” Drawing on personal experience, BearJam’s creative director James Hilditch developed the narrative with poet Mark Waldron. The result is a film which explores the subject of mental illness in families. 

We joined SANE to release the film and hope it supports them in their work improving the quality of life for anyone affected by mental illness.