Not Alone.

My film depicts twin brothers (Bartholomew and Curtis). Curtis notices that Bartholomew has been acting different lately, something only a life-long brother would be able to pick up. Curtis initiates a conversation with Bartholomew about how he is feeling, but Bartholomew is uncomfortable and in denial. But, Curtis does not give up. He is determined to make sure his brother feels seen, heard, and knows that he is there for him, no matter what. Curtis encourages Bartholomew to seek professional help using the resource of the school counselor. At first, Bartholomew does not know how to go about this situation. He doesn’t know how to approach a conversation like this with an adult. But, Curtis assures him that the professionals are the experts and that he does not need to do any sort of preparation before-hand, nor feel ashamed. When Bartholomew visits his school counselor, the counselor invited him in with warm arms. She subtly starts the conversation with Bartholomew and once he became comfortable, he felt ready to pour his heart. The counselor made fidget toys available to him, and even taught him coping methods to balance his mental health. But, what helped Bartholomew the most was just simply having the conversation with the counselor. All the emotions that he had bottled up in himself was out there now, and his shoulders felt lighter. Curtis was the stepping stone for Bartholomew to seek such help, and he now knows that he has trusted friends and adults that he can confide in.