Aim: Raising funds to finish"The Wound". A dance short film to raise awareness about living with Complex PTSD.
“Trauma is not what happens to you but what happens inside you”
Gabor Maté
In 2022, aged 42, I was diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) after battling with trauma-induced mental health illness since early adulthood. Prior to the diagnosis, I intuitively utilised dance, movement and later on, somatic practices, to cope, to contain, to soothe, to endure, to comfort, and to regulate my nervous system. I went on to pursue a career in Professional Dance, Movement Direction and Teaching (Yoga, Dance, Physical Theatre). Find out more about me here. A decade of therapy, a recovery programme and a diagnosis later, I have enough healing and distance from the illness to be able to envision a creatively visceral depiction of it.
Drawing on my personal and professional experience and alongside award winning Director and Producer Diego Barraza, (Part and Parcel, A documentary Yoga Satsang and The Letter), we have merged Dance, Film, Music and Spoken Word to represent both the existential turmoil of the condition and the revelation that can be possible with the right support and taking one day at a time.
Diego writes: "Having grown up in a civil war scenario in El Salvador, I am not a stranger to the effects of repeated trauma on the human psyche and their enduring consequences. To me art, dance and film are a creative medium to address difficult and unresolved aspects of our personal experience. The film uses dance and arts as both tools and medicine, representation and expression in service of transformation, to heal, seek comfort and raise awareness."
Our film seeks to raise awareness about Complex PTSD, offering insight into the experience of living with it so as to draw attention to an absence of understanding and support for those suffering. When the film is finished, it will screen at mental health festivals, work in partnership with mental health organisations and use our short film model to develop trauma-informed education and arts-based opportunities as a therapeutic intervention for those suffering.
Some of our collaborators include brilliant young Costume and Set Designer, Talitha Bella Sewell who generously offered her creative skills, dynamic talent and input to realise the project. Other kind beings that have contributed their time, cleverness and creativity are Clive Martin Director of The Focus Film School, Actor Corin Stuart and Art student Amalia Ona Barraza
We have completed 80% of the filmmaking process but we are in urgent need to cover the costs of post-production, editing, sound design and composing / licensing soundtrack for the film and distribution. We need to complete these tasks urgently in time for submission to enter into mental health film festivals with a view to partnering with Mental Health Charities, Organisations and Foundations to raise awareness about C-PTSD, promote the film as a conversation starter and / or promote trauma-informed education, support programs for art as a healing practice for mental health, maximizing the positive impact the film can have. Some of the festivals we hope to submit to are:
Traumascapes Survivors Arts Festival 2026
Sussex International Film Festival 2026
Covent Garden Film Festival 2026
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 2026
Little Venice Film Festival 2026
If you would like to see this project completed, please donate, select a reward and become part of this creative, artistic and mental health awareness initiative.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 4th August 2025 at 4:25pm