Art With Impact (AWI) is excited to congratulate Sharon Nyarko for the film ‘Beyond Words’ which is the May 2017 winner, and 35th addition to AWI’s OLIVE Film Collection. The film addresses depression and how often it is trivialized and downplayed, revealing the power that words have over actions people take and the impact of stigma on reaching out for support.
Sharon Nyarko is a 19 year old independent digital storyteller and second-year undergraduate Neuroscience specialist at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include brain function, biological basis of mental illness, and the development of more effective support schemes for people with mental health disorders. ‘Beyond Words’ is Sharon’s first publicized project as Director and Producer borne out of a passion to challenge the status quo of socio-cultural misconceptions about the scope, causes and effects of mental illness, and to generate relevant discussions and solutions.