ASYLUM: A History of the Mental Institution in America
THIS EMMY-NOMINATED FILM TELLS THE STORY OF ST. ELIZABETHS HOSPITAL AND CARE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL.
Synopsis
This classic, Emmy-nominated film charts the complex and controversial story of the U.S. mental institution from peaceful haven to overcrowded holding pen. ASYLUM decries the monstrously inhumane conditions that existed in mental hospitals — but concludes that deinstitutionalization must now also be considered a failure. Citing expert opinions on both sides of the issue, the documentary confronts viewers with an urgent question: Is there once again a need for the asylum?
Directed by Sarah Mondale
Produced by Sarah B. Patton and Sarah Mondale
Praise for Asylum
SCREENINGS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
ASYLUM has screened hundreds of times in film festivals around the world and venues ranging from the Kennedy Center to the National Building Museum. The film has been part of the curriculum in high schools, colleges and universities nationwide. It is considered indispensable viewing for mental health professionals and groups advocating for patients and the homeless. We make it easy to organize an event, providing everything you need to host an ASYLUM screening and start a discussion in your class or community.
On Screen Personalities
In ASYLUM, Professors David Rothman and Gerald Grob, top experts in mental health history, stake out two sides of the debate over mental institutions….
DAVID ROTHMAN - Columbia University
"We have 150 years of failure with asylums. It’s time we invested completely, thoroughly and diligently in alternatives."
GERALD GROB - Rutgers University
“To argue that we ought to abolish the asylum is unfair to people who cannot survive on their own and require some structured setting to meet their needs.”
On The Set of "Asylum"
MAJOR FUNDING FOR ASYLUM PROVIDED BY
The D.C. Community Humanities Council
The William H. Donner Foundation
The Hillsdale Fund
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities
The generous support of numerous local citizens
