Catharsis - A Psychological Fantasy Film

Have you ever heard anything like the following:

“You’ve gotta be twice as good to get half of what they have.”

“You’re a strong Black woman, you’ll be fine.”

“You’ve gotta be Black Excellence.”

“You’ll make it happen, you’ve got that Black Girl Magic.”

These statements are usually meant to be endearing but what happens when you don’t feel magical? What about when you don’t have twice as much energy to give? What if you’re tired of being strong?

If any of this hits home for you, then it sounds like it’s time to stop drinking the Strong Black Woman Sugar Water. Many of us Black women were served this drink at a young age to help us survive but what’s really happening to us when we force ourselves to constantly strive for perfection and exude strength? Catharsis addresses this very phenomenon.

Catharsis is based on the essay Victoria Renee wrote to get into USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Catharsis is about a 25-year-old, Black woman painter named Trinity. Trinity has finally been accepted into her first prestigious art exhibit. However, she must decide whether to pay the exhibit’s participation fee or her light bill. After Trinity pays the fee and loses her power, she is forced into her mental space to confront her uncomfortable personified emotions. In order to regain her power, Trinity must learn to put down the "Strong Black Woman Sugar Water" and heal through a Catharsis.

Trinity’s story was inspired by Victoria Renee’s personal experience as an emerging artist but also from her previous work in the mental health field. Before earning her M.F.A. from USC, Victoria Renee earned her M.A. in clinical psychology with a forensic focus from Columbia University. Often, she would observe that many of the Black women and girls she worked with struggled with “Superwoman Schema.”

Ideally, this means that Black women are taught at a young age to be strong to survive, yet constantly exhibiting superhuman strength takes a toll on our mental and physical health. Furthermore, in the wake of the pandemic, research suggests mental health rates have increased for all genders, yet the rates are highest among young, single, Black and Latino women. One of the biggest barriers to treatment is stigma. We don’t want to be seen as weak. That’s why this story about a Black woman learning how to navigate her mental health challenges is vital. She discovers that her superpower is not in her strength but instead in her vision and vulnerability.

Victoria Renee Productions (VRP) and BIPOC FilmmakeHERS invite you to join our efforts as we combine art and advocacy. We are seeking financial assistance to create a psychological fantasy short film called CATHARSIS. Catharsis spotlights the importance of Black women's mental health. Therefore, by supporting this project, your funds will go towards creating a work of art that will be used to educate youth and adults from underserved communities about the importance of mental wellness and confronting uncomfortable emotions as a form of cathartic healing.

By contributing to our project, you will help viewers gain access to local mental health resources within their communities. Therefore, by participating in this endeavor you are not only creating art, but you are also fostering wellness and potential healing through advocacy.

Our team has raised $20K so far, including winning an Invest Atlanta Creatives Grant and a Artist's Grant from the Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs. Now, we are asking you all to match our $20K via crowd funding! Please help us reach our goal!

For easier viewing of our Production Fundraising Look Book and to learn more about our cast and crew please click this link here.