Feature film ‘Pure O’, which offers a window into the debilitating nature of obsessive compulsive disorder, will have its Cayman premiere at a special screening to coincide with World Mental Health Day on Thursday, 10 Oct.
Written and directed by Dillon Tucker, the 2024 drama follows an aspiring screenwriter and musician whose life quickly unravels when he is diagnosed with a crippling form of OCD, clinically known as ‘pure obsessional’ or ‘pure O’.
When struggling through his darkest hours, he must help himself, and those around him, tackle a litany of universal issues, including grief, coming-of-age, addiction and redemption, and the power of social connection, according to the film’s official summary. It stars Daniel Dorr, Hope Lauren, and Landry Bender.
“I was delighted at the opportunity to help him make this film,” Jeremy Walton, executive producer and principal financier of the film, told the Cayman Compass.
Walton, who is vice chair of the Cayman Islands Film Commission board of directors, is also a partner of Moo Studios, whose recent films include ‘The Fix’, starring Grace Van Dien and Clancy Brown; ‘The Inventor’, starring Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard and Matt Berry, which was nominated for Best Animated Independent Feature; and ‘Mid-Century’, starring Stephen Lang, Bruce Dern and Shane West.
Walton said the film, which was inspired by the writer/director’s own story, “was made to raise awareness for mental and behavioural health, specifically the misunderstood nature of OCD, which is grossly misrepresented in film and television. Our film refers to a little-known but devastating form of the disorder that revolves exclusively around cognitive themes and mental compulsions.”
For Walton, the stress of the times we live in makes “honest conversations about mental health more necessary than ever. Taking care of our mental health and well-being is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and those around us.”
The film was nominated for best picture at the prestigious South by Southwest Film Festival last year. In addition, it was also acquired by Good Deed Entertainment for commercial distribution and was released in the US on 12 April.
“For me, the strongest message of this film is about both the importance and the power of community,” Walton said. “All of us need the help of other people to navigate the challenges of life, with or without mental health issues. If you can build a strong community around you, you can overcome most things.”
The screening coincides with a World Mental Health Day Symposium organised by Kelly Holdings and Infinite Mindcare, being held from 9am-2pm at Camana Bay Cinema. The symposium will feature four sessions where attendees can choose from topics including ‘Taking Care of your Nervous System’, ‘Anxiety in the Workplace’, ‘Breaking Bad Habits’ and ‘Healing from Trauma’.
To buy tickets for the symposium click here.
“A film like ours has a special role to play,” Walton said, adding, “it provides an opportunity to educate and entertain at the same time, to provoke debate and inspire action. That’s why it’s so effective for films like this to be seen in the cinema, having a shared experience with friends and family.”
For those who watch the film, Walton added, “people who have OCD or any mental health condition will feel heard. People who don’t will have a greater sense of understanding and empathy for others who do, and I hope everyone leaves the cinema with a greater appreciation of community and its vital role in our lives.”
All proceeds from ticket sales for the 7pm screening will go to local mental health charity Cayman Mindcare.
Tickets for the film can be bought at Camana Bay Cinema or online at Fandango. For more information on the screening, check out the event’s Facebook page.
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