Karina Michel is currently executive-producing two films produced and directed by talented young women, both of which aim to de-stigmatise mental illness. "Self-Charm" tackles the issue of self-harm. It's directed and produced by 19-year-old Ella Greenwood ("Faulty Roots") and stars 18-year-old Bukky Bakray (nominated for the Best Actress BAFTA for "Rocks") in the lead role.
Ella Greenwood
Ella is a mental health activist and an ambassador for teenage mental health charity stem4. She was named Positive Female Role Model of the Year in the 2020 Darkus Awards.
Ella says, "Working with Bukky was a wonderful experience. She is an incredibly gifted actress who was able to bring much-needed humour and compassion to a serious subject."
Short film 'I AM'
"I AM" is directed by the award-winning Ludovica Musumeci ("The Wick") and deals with the subject of schizophrenia. Starring Oriane Pick ("Call It A Day", "Say Your Name"), the Film is written by, directed by and stars a full female cast. Both films "I AM" and "Self-Charm" are in post-production and will be doing the festival circuit in 2021.
About Karina
Karina, who was previously a model and actor, said she never expected to get into producing. But she feels that transitioning from acting to producing 11 years ago was the best move she's ever made, calling it her "true calling".
She continues, "Most producers have never been on the other side of the camera. It helps to be able to feel what the actors need, to get their best performance for the project."
She says she feels most alive when she's on set, helping to orchestrate the films and bring everything together, like when an artist paints or a musician plays.
She says, "No day is ever the same, and I enjoy every minute."
In 2020, mental health was at the forefront of Karina's mind. She says, "I dealt with a lot of loss, like many people. In September, my father passed away in the UK, and I was stuck in the US, feeling isolated. I never thought I could deal with something like that.
But in a way, I came out of this much stronger and more resilient than ever, even fearless."
'Coffee with Karina'
In the midst of this, Karina started a podcast, "Coffee with Karina", which she says was very healing. She chats with guests who share advice about working in the entertainment industry, and she says it helped her get through a difficult year. She says, "With these films and conversations, we hope to put the word out there that it's ok not to be ok, and to get help. The more people hear and talk about mental health, the more accepted it will become in everyday life."
She says of her podcast guests: "What people see is the final product, and there is so much more that artists deal with to get to that place, mentally and physically.
No one ever sees the ups and downs and the struggle. This is what we talk about."
Karina says she loves hearing that people are enjoying the conversations and getting something from the films. She says, "I love doing what I do. The fact that people are enjoying it and that they take the time to send me emails telling me what it meant to them is amazing. I feel very blessed."
