Fujifilm / Bi-Polar UK
Down not out
When Fujifilm approached celebrated cinematographer Jake Polonsky with an opportunity to create work around a new camera, he brought the conversation to Into The Fold. Together, we saw the potential to shape the brief into something more ambitious: a powerful exploration of mental health. We sought to capture the lived experience of bipolar disorder through a concept rooted in the visceral metaphor of the boxing ring.
Working in collaboration with Bipolar UK and Fujifilm
Into The Fold supported the development and production of what became an award-winning short film. Co-directed by Jake Polonsky and Into the Fold’s Creative Director Caswell Coggins, Down Not Out delivers a cinematic and socially conscious piece that has gone on to resonate globally.
A female boxer who lives with bipolar
At the heart of the film is Lesley Sackey, a female boxer and someone who lives with bipolar. In a visceral, single-bout sequence, she faces a series of different opponents each representing the shifting mental and emotional states that come with the condition. The result is a bold, symbolic and emotionally charged portrait of resilience and inner conflict.
Bipolar UK
“The response from our community was astounding with many people saying they felt seen and that it helped to break down the stigma associated with the condition.”