With the rise of teen suicide exacerbated by the pandemic, MTV Documentary Films’ Each and Every Day from Peabody(R) winning director Alexandra Shiva showcases the experiences of young people and the urgency of talking about mental health and getting help
Shot during the pandemic in partnership with The Jed Foundation and executive produced by Sheila Nevins, Each and Every Day premieres commercial-free on MTV Tuesday, February 16 @ 9PM ET/PT
As the U.S. approaches the one-year mark of COVID-19, the impact on the mental health of young people – remote learning creating physical isolation, missed activities and milestones, a racial reckoning and a softening economy and job loss, among them – MTV Documentary Films’ Each and Every Day from the Peabody(R) Award-winning filmmaker Alexandra Shiva and producer Lindsey Megrue, speaks with young people who have attempted suicide or had suicidal ideations as they share their experiences and the ways they have sought help.
Created in partnership with The Jed Foundation and executive produced by Sheila Nevins, the film will air commercial-free on MTV, Tuesday, February 16 at 9PM ET/PT.
In August 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that a quarter of young adults have seriously contemplated suicide during the pandemic.
The film features nine young people that span across race, ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds across the country, sharing their personal stories in an intimate and engaging conversation that goes deep into the fastest-growing epidemic among teens and young adults today. Audiences not only hear their stories of depression, anxiety and other mental health concerns, but also see the uplifting message of hope, recovery and the importance of treatment and honest conversation.
“Making this film I saw first hand the way young people are dealing with their mental health challenges, including talking openly about suicide,” said Shiva. “It inspires me and gives me hope that young people don’t shy away from this issue, because talking about it saves lives.”
“I am inspired by the film’s compelling and honest stories directly from young people that send a powerful message: anyone who is hurting is not alone and that there is hope and help available,” said Donna Satow, Co-Founder, The Jed Foundation.
The film marks Shiva’s first project with Nevins since the Peabody Award(R)-winning How to Dance in Ohio about autistic teenagers preparing for their spring formal. Her most recent film, This is Home, a portrait of four Syrian refugee families arriving in Baltimore, Maryland and struggling to find their footing, premiered at The Sundance Film Festival in 2018 and won the Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary.
MTV Documentary Films, whose first film St. Louis Superman was nominated for an Oscar(R), has a robust slate that includes: 76 Days set deep inside the frontlines of the pandemic in Wuhan, Finding Yingying, Beautiful Something Left Behind, American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself, 17 Blocks The Final Cut, A Life Too Short and My Father The Mover. For the latest, follow @mtvdocs on Twitter, @mtvdocs on Instagram, and “MTVDocs” on Facebook.
About The Jed Foundation (JED)
JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health.
Learn more at jedfoundation.org. Check out our programs including: JED Campus (jedcampus.org), Set to Go (settogo.org), ULifeline (ulifeline.org), Half of Us (halfofus.com), Love is Louder (loveislouder.com), and Seize the Awkward (seizetheawkward.org).
