Brooklyn directors make movie about mental health and friendship

Film is a powerful catalyst to tell stories while entertaining viewers, and that’s what two directors set out to do in the new film “Gramercy.”

News 12 Staff

Oct 20, 2020, 12:09 PM

Updated 1,509 days ago

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Film is a powerful catalyst to tell stories while entertaining viewers, and that’s what two directors set out to do in the new film “Gramercy.” 
The duo explores the ideas of mental health through the lives of a group of friends.  
Brooklyn-based film directors, Pat Heywood and Jamil McGinnis, have created a world of opportunity in “Gramercy,” allowing audiences to look at each other, and within.“The film kind of goes back and forth between what goes on in someone's inner life and how do you manage that in your outer life,” says McGinnis. 
The film is set in Gramercy, Piscataway, and spotlights mental health and the power of friendship, creating open spaces to be candid.
“People could see that space and hopefully take it within their own lives and think about what's going on in their own head and maybe be able to have a conversation about it. Because I think that's such a big part of mental health,” says McGinnis.“Gramercy” has been years in the making and already a hit, as it premieres at film festivals around the world from Switzerland to London.“I think above all, it means that the importance of us making this film, resonates with others. It resonates in a way where people also see the importance of it,” says McGinnis.
The co-directors say they believe the film will transcend generations, as it spotlights the universal theme of mental health.