Mental Health is at The Forefront for Writer, Director, Producer, and Actress María Picón in Cannes Film Festival Short Film Submission

    LOS ANGELES, CA, March 17, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Cannes Film Festival receives thousands of submissions annually from aspiring Directors aiming to showcase their work by aligning with the festival's mission to contribute towards the development of cinema. Dedicated to showcasing the struggles associated with mental health issues, well-known Writer, Director, Producer, and Actress María Picón's short film submission emphasizes the importance of diagnosing mental health issues and the impacts within our society.

"Gold" is a short-film noir that utilizes visuals, foreshadowing, music, and dialogue to tell the story of Rosario, a Hispanic woman in her 40's dealing with a mental health crisis. Although Rosario's character often struggles with understanding her own emotions, she also struggles with interacting with others and feels that nobody can hear her until she encounters a person that introduces her to "kintsugi" often used by the Japanese to fix broken pottery, otherwise known as "liquid gold". For María, it was important for her to play the role of Rosario in this short film to bring to life the true essence of her vision as the Director of this film and the internal struggles one faces when dealing with mental instability.

Film Director María Picón was motivated to create this short film to address the common challenges faced by many in the Hispanic culture when dealing with mental health issues. While mental health impacts all races, there are many barriers to mental health care in the Hispanic community. It is estimated that only 35.1% of Hispanic adults actually receive treatment for mental health issues in comparison to the national average of 46.2% (NAMI, 2023). Part of the barriers to adequate mental health care in the Hispanic community include economical barriers, language barriers, cultural differences, and the fear of disclosing any form of mental health issues. Mental health issues have been on the rise whether diagnosed or undiagnosed resulting in suicide, violence, depression, and other behavioral challenges. With the production of "Gold", María aspires to help our community relate to Rosario's character by providing hope that nobody is alone, and that resources are available for those that may feel broken.

María Picón is no stranger to the film/production industry as she has amassed over 18 million views on YouTube alone by directing the music videos for KGB Records with Pop Star Jasmine Ortiz and Latin Star Daniel Darkan. In addition, María previously directed and produced "Jammin' With Freshie", a short-film that tells the story of the racial barriers faced in 1928 with the character of Ceil, a 13 year old Caucasian teenager that is influenced to learn about jazz music from a 17 year old African American musician which creates racial tensions in the family.

For María, storytelling is her passion, and with her submission to the Cannes Film Festival, she is determined to showcase relevant issues impacting our society through an artistic lens. María most recently attended various events during the 2023 Oscars week that focused on her personal mission of helping social issues impacting our society. In addition, María walked the red-carpet at the Justice for Women International and The Hip Hop Alliance's Inaugural Charity Event which aligned two powerful entities to help combat human trafficking and the violence against women and children. María was personally moved by this union and was honored to be invited and support the cause to stop the violence amongst women and children.

The Cannes Film Festival being held in France from May 16-27, 2023 provides Film Directors the opportunity to showcase their work that contributes towards the development of cinema, and boosting the industry at an international level. With "Gold" María aims to help all ethnic backgrounds on the issues with mental health but also pointing a spotlight to the Hispanic community that often don't seek treatment due to social/economical barriers.

For more information on "Gold" please visit:
https://goldtheshortfilm.com/ and https://mariapicon.com/

For Media Inquiries, please contact:
Dr. Jacqueline Yvette Public Relations
[email protected]

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