Behind every mental illness there is a person. Hear their stories. Witness the strength of the human character.

We’re all somewhere along a mental health continuum, with a balance that tips our scales to well or ill – can ‘deal’ or cannot ‘deal’. Why, then, is stigma attached to being mentally unwell? Is it because we feel somehow it’s the patients’ fault? Perhaps it’s because we know so little about it we feel powerless, unable to protect ones we love.

Living in HOpe is a documentary series offering an intimate, compassionate look into the world of mental health. It captures the drama of daily life at HOpe Centre, a psychiatric facility in Vancouver, Canada. Through unprecedented access, the film follows the journey of patients and frontline practitioners, finding trauma, delight, and humanity in their stories. It’s a world observed honestly and openly, and by doing so provides patients with the respect and dignity their stories deserve.