5 films that talk about the subject

In an initiative of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, the birthday of the artist Van Gogh, March 30, was elected World Bipolar Disorder Day, in honor of the psychic condition with which the painter lived. Like him, it is estimated that up to 5% of the population has the diagnosis, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition to having an unknown cause, bipolar disorder is also difficult to identify and requires a range of professional resources to detect and treat.

It is important that people living with bipolar disorder are represented in film and TV. However, the media often exaggerates the emotional ups and downs of the condition. People with the condition can look like anyone else; regardless of age group, it is possible that they work and have an active social life. One representation more faithful can help raise awareness of the condition and reduce the stigma surrounding it. Soon, check out 5 movies that portray the bipolarity.

1. The Bright Side of Life

The 2012 film is based on the book written by Matthew Quick. It tells the story of a man named Pat (Bradley Cooper) who, after a series of actions, ends up in a psychiatric hospital. On the spot, he is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has a hard time accepting it. Thus, he goes back to live with his parents and plans to win back his ex; however, upon meeting Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) – who also has mood swings – and with the support of therapy, friends and family, he is on the road to a successful recovery.

Where to watch: Netflix and Prime Video.

2. Feelings that heal

Based on the childhood of writer and director Maya Forbes, the 2014 film is set in the 1970s. The father, Cameron (Mark Ruffalo), lives with bipolar disorder. He takes care of the daughters when their mother enters graduate school and moves out. The film shows how bipolar disorder can disrupt a family. However, it also presents moments of much love and the importance of get help.

Where to watch: Apple TV+, Google Play and YouTube.

3. The Hours

Film which won an Oscar for Nicole Kidman in the interpretation of writer Virginia Woolf, the feature film, from 2001, portrays a day in the lives of three women from different generations who have bipolar disorder and as “Mrs. Dalloway”, Woolf’s work, affected each one of them – including the author herself, in 1923. The film also features the renowned Meryl Streep as Clarissa Vaughn, a New York editor in 2001, and Julianne Moore as Laura Brown, a unhappy pregnant housewife trying to sustain a marriage in 1950s Los Angeles.

Where to watch: Apple TV+, NET, Claro Video and Prime Video.

4. Love, Van Gogh

With oil paint on canvas, the film, from 2018, is the world’s first animation made entirely with paintings and explores the life of Vincent Van Gogh. The film takes place a year after the artist’s death and features a postman making his lazy son, Armand (Douglas Booth), hand-deliver the painter’s last letter written to his then-deceased brother, Theo (Cezary Lukaszewicz). Exploring the nuances of the painter’s behavior and thoughts through the story, the film characterizes the brothers’ relationship.

Where to watch: Prime Video and YouTube.

5. By Amazing Places

In adaptation of the book of the same name, the film, from 2020, addresses the story of Violet Markey (Elle Fanning) and Theodore Finch (Justice Smith). After meeting, they change each other’s lives forever. As they grapple with the emotional and physical scars of their past, they bond together, discovering new places and creating moments that could mean something. The boy, living with bipolar disorder, faces difficulties to maintain constancy in the relationship.

Where to watch: Netflix.