Project Feel Free 2.0 – Phase 03 - For You

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"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."

                                       – Maya Angelou. 

In a world where the whispers of mental health are often lost in the cacophony of daily life, the Leo Club of University of Colombo 306C1 has taken a bold step forward with their initiative, Project Feel Free. The third phase of the project was successfully completed on the 24th of April. This article is a reflection of the third phase of our project. 

The third phase of Feel Free 2.0, the "For You" phase was ingeniously designed for creative short filmmakers to explore and express the nuanced dimensions of mental health through their creative lenses. With the help of this creative competition, Sri Lankans from all walks of life were encouraged to produce thought-provoking content that highlights the significance of mental health. Project Feel Free commenced in January and progressed over the months through succeeding phases that built on each other's achievements. This phase commenced in January and progressed over the months through succeeding phases that built on each other's achievements. 

A broad range of participants—from aspiring school-age filmmakers to seasoned directors—were catered to by the competition's division into open and school sections. To foster a more comprehensive and varied dialogue regarding mental health, participants were invited to incorporate their perspectives and observations about the community into short films. There were five Open category winners and three School category winners among the exciting array of entries at the event, in addition to the most popular film segment that inspired audience participation. Open-category and school-category-winning short films are; Patiloma, Freedom, Boomerang, The Writer, Thambi Kella and Broken Hopes, Sanda Awara, and Indrakhilaya respectively. The winners received cash prizes and certificates, which was a well-deserved acknowledgment of their outstanding work. 

The best short films from both categories were screened on the University of Colombo's Leo Club Facebook page. The films' exposure was greatly increased when they were featured on the Leo Club's Facebook page, which made these moving stories more widely known. In addition to increasing the project's impact, this deliberate use of social media brought disparate audiences together around a common understanding of mental health. The project's journey reached its pinnacle when UNICEF Sri Lanka acknowledged it and posted about it on their Facebook page. This support was a huge affirmation of the importance and urgency of addressing mental health honestly and innovatively, in addition to being the frosting on top of the Leo Club. 

Project Feel Free precisely sparked a movement rather than merely raising awareness. The project serves as a ray of hope and a blueprint for how compassion and creativity can result in significant societal change. Thus, we would like to extend our heartfelt acknowledgment to the people who helped us in reaching these heights. Our sincere gratitude needs to be offered to; Mr. Nuwan Madduma Bandara and Mr. Chathura Fernando, lecturers at the University of Colombo (Film Studies Department), and Ms. Kalani Dharmasiri a senior lecturer at the University of Colombo (Mass Media Department). Further, we are also deeply appreciative of Ms. Supeshsla Rathnayake's assistance during this journey. Last but not least, our heartfelt thanks to all of you for your tireless work and dedication towards the successful completion of “For you”, the third phase of the project, and the entire project Feel Free. 

By,

Leo Nethmini Rathnayake. 

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