4 out of 4 stars
Brought to life by Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple, Running from Crazy follows Mariel Hemingway’s (Academy Award Nominee Actress and granddaughter of famous writer Ernest Hemingway) journey as she explores her family’s struggle with mental illness and suicide.
What makes this film special is the courageous acceptance and social advocacy that has touched and continues to touch many troubled lives in her relentless community outreach efforts. Mariel puts her family’s legacy behind this documentary to address and remove the stigma of people with mental illness and to provide hope to the families and loved ones who survive a family member lost to suicide.
Mariel is personal, charming, open, sensitive and human. The film explores the tense relationship between Mariel and her famous supermodel sister, Margaux. This relationship is complex and energizes the story.
The film conveys a strong message that there are options, help and hope for those suffering from depression as she advocates for suicide prevention, open conversation and healthy lifestyles.
A genuine star among this year’s documentaries, Running From Crazy will change your views of mental illness while providing a very uplifting message.
Ernest Hemingway died of suicide in his retirement cabin in Idaho in 1961, sister Margaux died of suicide in 1996.
Mariel continues to be an actor, often playing lesbian and bisexual characters. She is very active in her organization The Willingway, which she runs with her boyfriend and life partner Bobby Williams offering suicide prevention and awareness.
