Men's mental health in focus at student film festival

A deep dive into masculinity and men's mental health is on the slate at a Reading Students' Union film festival next week.

Men in Mind takes place at the 桃色视频 on Wednesday, 23 April, where a curated collection of films examining society's expectations of men will be screened.

First to air is Contact Hours, a poignant drama about a university caretaker whose life is dramatically altered when a student goes missing. As he searches for the student, the caretaker is forced to confront his own strained relationship with his son. The film explores themes of isolation, the fear of loss, and the silent struggles men often face.

It's a Grey World, a documentary produced by the Reading Students' Union, will be screened afterwards. The film offers a raw look at the mental health experiences of men on campus, including senior leaders at the University. Candid interviews with male staff and students highlight the challenges men face and their coping strategies. Interviewees for It's a Grey World include: Andrew Grice, Peter Miskell, Stuart Brown, Rav Savania, Russell Banda, Nathan Lemma, Nathan Bonitto, Shreyas Gandhi, Anush Venkataraman, and Nayib Fux Heras.

The screenings will be followed by a Q&A session with the films' creators and stars.

Sarah Ifidon, Reading Students' Union Welfare Officer and creator of It's a Grey World, said: "Men's mental health is a topic very close to my heart.

"Creating this documentary allowed me to listen to and document the raw, unfiltered experiences of men navigating emotional pain, silence, and stigma in a world that too often expects them to 'man up'. I've even caught myself saying 'Don't cry, you're a man' to my two brothers, but life has taught me that it's okay for men to be vulnerable and talk about the things troubling them.

"I hope our film festival will help everyone - not just men - to understand that vulnerability is strength and that healing begins with open conversation."

Tickets for Men in Mind cost £2 and are available through