Margaret Byrne and Face2Face host David Peck talk about her new film Any Given Day, context and community, safe places, honesty, vulnerability and

accountability, the ethics of film making and why it’s important to see ourselves as resources.

Find out about the film and see the trailer here.

Synopsis:

In 2015, during widespread defunding of community mental health care programs across the country, in Chicago, the Cook County Jail has become a default

treatment center for people living with mental illness. 

While investigating the treatment of detainees, filmmaker Margaret Byrne befriends Angela, Dimitar and Daniel, participants in a mental health court probation

program. Their friendship gives each of them the courage to be seen at their most vulnerable. In turn, Margaret begins to confront one of the most difficult periods of

her life, culminating in a hospitalization for depression.

What begins as a heartfelt desire to accurately portray the lives of Angela, Dimitar and Daniel, forces Margaret to reckon with her own history of mental illness.

Margaret’s own hospitalization that occurs during the making of the film, becomes an inspiration to weave her own story into the film. Byrne’s intimate observations of

the three, captures the hard-fought triumphs and struggles of living at the intersection of mental illness, poverty, and addiction.

Any Given Day provides deeply personal insight into the necessity of caring relationships, especially when life is at its most difficult.

About Margaret:

Margaret Byrne directed and produced Raising Bertie a feature documentary following the lives of three African American boys growing up in rural North Carolina.

She has worked as a cinematographer on over a dozen films including Surge, Waging Change, All the Queen’s Horses, and American Promise.

She was previously a creative director at Universal Music and directed live concerts and music videos for artists such as Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige. In 2005, Byrne

produced and edited the live series that launched MTV across Africa. Byrne is an adjunct professor at Columbia College and College of DuPage.

She is the founder of Beti Films, an all-women film collective based in Chicago.

Image Copyright and Credit: Margaret Byrne and Beti Films.

F2F Music and Image Copyright: David Peck and Face2Face. Used with permission.

For more information about David Peck’s podcasting, writing and public speaking please visit his site here.

With thanks to Josh Snethlage and Mixed Media Sound.

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