A conversation beneath the surface is beginning to take shape in Kamloops, where local filmmaker Sarah Jenkins has turned her camera toward something many would rather not discuss. Her new documentary, “Speaking Shadows,” features seven Kamloops residents who share their struggles with depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
The project took root last winter when Jenkins, a 34-year-old nurse turned filmmaker, noticed a troubling pattern among her patients. “People would whisper about their mental health concerns,” she told me during our interview at a downtown coffee shop. “They’d look around first, like they were confessing to something shameful.”
This observation propelled her into an 8-month journey documenting the reality of mental health in a mid-sized Canadian community where resources are stretched thin and waitlists for counselling services can extend beyond six months.
The Thompson-Nicola region has seen a 22% increase in mental health-related emergency room visits since 2019, according to Interior Health data. Yet provincial funding for community mental health initiatives in the region has increased by only 7% during the same period.
“The numbers don’t tell the whole story,” explains Dr. Amrita Sandhu, a psychiatrist at Royal Inland Hospital who appears in the documentary. “Behind each statistic is someone struggling to access care while managing their daily responsibilities – their jobs, families, everything that makes up a life.”
What makes Jenkins’ documentary particularly powerful is its focus on everyday people rather than only those in acute crisis. The film features a high school teacher, a construction worker, a retired accountant, and others who function in their communities while managing persistent mental health challenges.
“Mental illness doesn’t always look like what people expect,” Jenkins explains. “Most people with depression or anxiety aren’t in hospital. They’re your neighbours, colleagues, the person scanning your groceries.”
The film has struck a chord locally, with three sold-out screenings at the Paramount Theatre last month. A fourth showing has been added for next week, with proceeds supporting the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Kamloops branch.
City councillor Darren Watson, who attended the premiere, called the documentary “a necessary wake-up call” for local leaders. “This isn’t just a healthcare issue. It’s a community issue that affects our economy, our schools, our families,” he noted after the screening.
The film doesn’t shy away from difficult truths. One participant, 43-year-old electrician Mike Doherty, describes hiding his anxiety disorder from coworkers for over a decade. “In construction, you’re supposed to be tough,” he says in a particularly moving segment. “I’d have panic attacks in my truck, then walk onto the job site like nothing happened.”
Jenkins’ approach avoids both clinical detachment and excessive sentimentality. Instead, she creates space for nuanced stories that challenge stereotypes. The documentary shows how mental health struggles cut across age, gender, and socioeconomic lines.
“When we started filming, I worried people wouldn’t want to talk on camera,” Jenkins admits. “But once we got going, the challenge became fitting everything into 90 minutes. People are ready to break the silence.”
The documentary also highlights systemic gaps. Kamloops currently has one mental health outreach worker per 9,800 residents, compared to the provincial average of one per 6,200. These resource limitations mean many residents rely on peer support groups or online resources when professional help isn’t accessible.
Lisa Montague of the Kamloops Mental Health Association appears in the film discussing these challenges. “We’re seeing more people reaching out, which is positive, but our capacity hasn’t kept pace,” she explains. “Some weeks we have to turn away as many people as we help.”
The film has catalyzed community action. Following the initial screenings, two local businesses announced funding for mental health first aid training for their employees. Thompson Rivers University has scheduled a campus showing for students this fall.
Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, who attended the second screening, has committed to raising these issues at the next meeting of Interior BC mayors. “This film makes it impossible to look away from what’s happening in our community,” he told the audience during the post-screening discussion.
For Jenkins, the documentary represents just the beginning. “Films don’t solve problems, people do,” she says. “But sometimes we need to see ourselves reflected to recognize we’re not alone.”
What distinguishes “Speaking Shadows” from similar projects is its insistence on hope without glossing over reality. The documentary doesn’t end with neat resolutions, but with participants discussing what helps them continue forward – connections with others, creative outlets, medication when needed, and the simple power of having their experiences validated.
As our interview concluded, Jenkins shared what has surprised her most about the community response. “People keep thanking me for making something ‘brave,’ but the real courage belongs to the participants. They’re the ones who sat in front of a camera and said, ‘This is my truth, and it matters.'”
The documentary will be available for community organizations to screen starting next month, with discussion guides developed by mental health professionals to help facilitate conversations after viewings.
In a community where everyone seems connected by only a few degrees of separation, “Speaking Shadows” reminds viewers that many of us are also connected by experiences we rarely discuss – until someone finally turns on the light.
