Changing Minds Premieres on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and Google Play on November 24

– Ten award-winning short films and a new conversation with Laurie M. Tisch; Actor, Director, Producer, John Turturro; Community Access CEO Cal Hedigan; and three young filmmakers explore the future of mental health storytelling –

NEW YORK, Nov. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Access is proud to announce the streaming premiere of Changing Minds on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and Google Play beginning November 24, 2025. The special presentation marks the tenth anniversary of the Changing Minds Young Filmmaker Festival and features ten groundbreaking short films from the festival's history, along with an exclusive panel discussion with Laurie M. Tisch, actor John Turturro, Cal Hedigan, and three young filmmakers, Kendra Brown, Denise Chan, and Morgan Smartt reflecting on how storytelling can break stigma and inspire empathy around mental health.

Launched in 2015 by Community Access, a leading housing and mental health nonprofit, Changing Minds celebrates the creativity and leadership of young filmmakers (ages 15–25) who use film to open honest dialogue about mental health. Their stories confront themes such as anxiety, depression, identity, and recovery—showing that every experience has value and that healing is possible when voices are heard.

According to the former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, mental health is the defining public health crisis of our time. With 1 in 3 young adults in the US experiencing mental health concerns and 3.8 million having serious thoughts of suicide, fostering open conversations about mental health is more relevant than ever. Discussing mental health helps to destigmatize it and is often a critical first step in getting needed support. By bringing these award-winning films to multiple streaming platforms, Changing Minds aims to reach a wider audience, amplify young voices, and continue shifting public perception toward hope.

"Art can transform how we see mental health," said Cal Hedigan, CEO of Community Access. "The staying power behind Changing Minds is that it continues to be created by and for young people. We are proud to bring these powerful films to a global audience, and are grateful for any opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue about mental health stigma and recovery with the next generation."

"We are thrilled to support the streaming premiere of Changing Minds and to help bring the voices of young filmmakers to an even broader audience," said Laurie Tisch, founder and president of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. "Mental health stigma has real consequences in our communities, but by sharing their lived experiences through film, young creators have the ability to foster empathy, spark understanding, and remind us how essential it is that youth perspectives are heard, respected, and valued. Making these films accessible on major platforms ensures that their stories and their impact reach far beyond the festival."

"The Pixley Hill Foundation is proud to support Changing Minds and its streaming premiere. Young people are leading the conversation on mental health in powerful and imaginative ways, and Changing Minds has shown what can be possible when young filmmakers are able to share their stories and perspectives with a wider virtual and in-person community. These films challenge assumptions, replace stigma with compassion, and open doors to conversations that families and communities urgently need. We are honored to support bringing these films to a broader audience and to the community of young artists who make it possible," said a spokesperson for the Foundation.

The Changing Minds streaming release is made possible through the generous support of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, The Pixley Hill Foundation, and the Isora Foundation.

Learn more at www.changingmindsfilmfestival.org.

About Community Access
Founded in 1974, Community Access is a pioneer of supportive housing and social services in New York City for people living with mental health concerns. Rooted in the simple truth that people are experts in their own lives, Community Access expands opportunities for people living with mental health concerns to recover from trauma and discrimination through affordable housing, training, advocacy, and healing-focused services. Community Access provides person-centered services that help people pursue goals that are important to them – from gaining access to an affordable home, to learning new skills; from re-establishing community ties, to setting goals for the future.

About the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund
The Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund is a New York City-based foundation that strives to improve access and opportunity for all New Yorkers and foster healthy and vibrant communities. Founded in 2007 by philanthropist Laurie M. Tisch, the Illumination Fund plays an active role in supporting innovative approaches across a range of issues—ensuring that arts and arts education are accessible to all, increasing access to healthy food, promoting civic service and supporting economic opportunity. In 2018, the Illumination Fund launched Arts in Health, a new initiative to support organizations utilizing the arts to address health issues that impact New York communities and emphasize the arts as a tool for healing and for building understanding.

About The Pixley Hill Foundation
The Pixley Hill Foundation is a private family foundation based in New York City that is committed to supporting causes within the mental health sphere.

About the Isora Foundation
The Isora Foundation, a family foundation established in 2006, is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is committed to partnering with individuals to improve conditions within their communities in the areas of health; economic development; environmental action and social justice. Their grants have included projects addressing the health and educational needs of indigenous people; economic development in immigrant communities; youth organizations; individuals affected by the stigmatization of mental illness; and protection of sensitive environmental areas. The foundation values projects that use a variety of media to tell their stories.

Contact:
Sandra Tharas, [email protected], 347-361-7068
Marina Hansen, [email protected], 347-274-9819
Nasreen Hussain, [email protected], 347-853-2980

SOURCE Community Access