by Marie Miguel
If you’re a fan of Asian movies and are also interested in various mental health topics, you’re sure to be fascinated by the five films on our list below! Dealing with topics such as psychosis, schizophrenia, postpartum psychosis, bipolar disorder, and amnesia, these films find artful ways to address difficult subjects. Read on to find the next film to add to your queue.
- A Tale of Two Sisters
A Tale of Two Sisters is a South Korean psychological horror-drama that was released in 2003. This film focuses on a teenage girl named Su-mi who has just been released from a mental institution after being treated for psychosis and shock. When she returns home to live with her father, younger sister, and stepmother, things become very dark. Ghosts and untold stories lurk around every corner, and nothing is what it seems. A Tale of Two Sisters is the highest-grossing Korean horror film, and it’s been described as “restrained but disturbing” and “creepily effective.”
- I’m a Cyborg, but That’s Okay
This 2006 South Korean romantic comedy features likeable characters and a quirky sense of humor. Set in a hospital with a fascinating ensemble of patients, I’m a Cyborg, but That’s Okay focuses on Young-goon and Il-soon. Young-goon experiences delusions of being a cyborg, while Il-soon is schizophrenic. The two strike up an unlikely relationship and help each other to heal. I’m a Cyborg, but That’s Okay received an impressive score of 91% fresh on RottenTomatoes, and it was praised for its cinematic exuberance. If you’re looking for mental health advice in addition to films that tell stories related to mental health, take a look at MyTherapist for more information.
- Kotoko
Kotoko tells the story of a single mother, Cocco, who is experiencing severe delusions while trying to take care of her newborn baby. After she has a nervous breakdown and is deemed unfit to care for her child, Cocco finds that she can only experience relief from her terrifying hallucinations when she sings. A novelist named Tsukamoto meets Cocco while riding on the bus, and the two begin a relationship filled with turbulence and unexpected outcomes. This 2011 film was the first Japanese movie to win the Best Film in the Orizzonti section of the Venice International Film Festival.
- Mad World
Tung’s story is revealed in the 2016 Hong Kong drama film Mad World. Tung used to be a financial analyst, but after he began to struggle with bipolar disorder, he was checked into a mental health institution. Now he’s been released, but he’s sent to live with his father, a truck driver, who has gained custody of him. Mad World was nominated for a long list of awards and won many of them, including Best Supporting Actress and Best Director at the 53rd Golden Horse Awards; Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Film of Merit at the 23rd Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award; and the Award for Excellence and Best Supporting Actress at the Youth Film Handbook Awards.
- Sadma
This 1983 Indian romantic drama centers on a woman named Nehalata Malhotra, who suffered a head injury in a car crash and subsequently regressed to the age of six as a result of amnesia. Unable to recognize her own elderly parents or to care for herself, Nehalata is kidnapped as she’s undergoing treatment. Sadma follows Nehalata as she is saved by an unlikely hero and various events transpire. The film received widespread critical acclaim, and the climax of Sadma is listed as one of Bollywood’s 50 Most Memorable Scenes of All Time.
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with MyTherapist.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
