Mental health is an important part of our general well-being, so taking care of it tends to be of the utmost importance. That might include going for walks, positive self-assurance, or taking a nap in the afternoon.
Companies like Pixar have always made it a point to make sure that their viewers are practicing healthy mental health habits. One of the ways that they do that is by making movies like the “Inside Out” franchise, which focuses on the emotions in the protagonist’s head and how she deals with the various things that occur in her life. For children, this is a great way to learn about emotions and mental health and how to handle them.
On August 29th, Arapahoe Community College hosted its inaugural Family Movie Night. “Inside Out 2”, Disney/Pixar’s most recent animated production, was shown in ACC’s Summit Room at their Littleton location. Just over 100 students, staff, and their family members attended the event. Along with their parents, some of the young attendees laid out pillows and blankets on the floor in front of the screens. Some of the children also attended wearing pajamas and cuddled with their favorite stuffed animals.
Prior to the movie showing, volunteers and ACC staff members set up chairs, tables, and “Inside Out 2”-themed decorations and played music from past Disney movies over the speakers to set the ambiance.
To the enjoyment of those who attended Olive Garden and Noodles & Company catered the event. Pasta dishes like spaghetti, chicken alfredo, and chicken parmesan were available for the choosing in a vast buffet. Salad was also provided.
Movie candies such as Nerds, Whoppers, and Sour Patch Kids and various sodas were there for the choosing as well. The event also held a drawing for various items such as an “Inside Out 2” plush, children’s books, keychains, and mystery packs.
To help run the event students from ACC’s student government, Student Life Office, and the general student body volunteered to work the tables that housed these features.
“With Family Movie Night, my goal was to host an event that would allow both students and employees to bring their children to the college for a fun activity. I also wanted to be sure we provided family-friendly food, giveaways, and treats,” said Student Life Director Dan Balski, founder and coordinator of the event.
Given the great turnout, it’s no wonder Balski is happy with the results of the school’s first family movie night.
“I am pleased with the crowd we had there to watch Inside Out 2. The movie is engaging while also thoughtful in presenting themes of mental health,” said Balski.
According to the University of Southern California School for Communication and Journalism, more than three-quarters of top movies had little to no depictions of mental health, so films like the Inside Out franchise are a great outlet for viewers, both young and old, to see mental health struggles in action and how to handle them.
USC also notes that only 2.1% of the 3,815 speaking characters examined in 2022 were shown with a mental health condition. In addition to that study, The National Institutes of Health reports that 57.8 million adults live with some form of mental illness.
Regardless of the locale, movie nights have always been a wonderful way to pull the community together, and family movie nights centering on themes like mental health are especially great for bringing attention to the struggles of mental illnesses.
As evidenced by the impressive turnout, the Family Movie Night was a hit. The choice for the next movie night is still up in the air. Here’s hoping that it’s a good one.
