Katie Holmes’ bipolar drama picked up by mental health groups

Bipolar director Paul Dalio’s new film about the condition has been hailed a breakthrough by mental health organisations.
Touched With Fire, in which Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby portray manic depressives on the run from a hospital, has been picked up by officials at several foundations and charities, and they hope to stage special screenings to help those suffering from the condition and their nearest and dearest.
Dalio, who spent five years in and out of psychiatric hospitals until he overcame his struggles with manic depression, is thrilled his latest movie has been so well received.
“It’s been astounding,” he told WENN. “A series of organisations got behind us and wanted to use the film and go around the country and have screenings, like NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
“We haven’t gotten one negative response from a doctor or patient or family member. Every single one said, ‘This is exactly what it was like for me’. A doctor even said, ‘I can’t believe I didn’t understand what the patient was going through and how I can talk to them differently’. That was exciting, because I thought people might think it was too controversial.”
And researching the film helped Dalio find a new respect for his fellow bipolar sufferers – and those striving to understand the condition.
He added, “I discovered how open people are to people who are bipolar and the potential beauty of people who are bipolar. I experienced only stigma before the movie, which angered me and I had to temper my anger and just really focus on, ‘Look, here’s what it’s like’.
“It actually surprised me that they did see it for who they are and they embrace them. The best compliment we got was somebody was envious of bipolar!”
But Dalio still can’t shake some of the negatives surrounding his condition – so-called friends urged his wife not to marry him because he was bipolar.
“I met my wife at film school, where of all places you’d think they’d be open-minded, and people were telling her not to marry me, so that she didn’t have to be my nurse!” he recalled. “That sticks in your gut.”