A sane woman fakes the symptoms of a mentally unstable patient in order to be admitted into a mental institution for a secret psychiatric experiment. Inspired by the Rosenhan Experiment of 1973.

I AM NORMAL is dedicated to the incredible Director of Photography Halyna Hutchins, who recently tragically lost her life on the set of another movie.
Donate to Halyna Hutchins Female Cinematographers Fund: https://www.afi.com/halyna-hutchins-scholarship-fund/

Director’s Vision for ‘I am Normal’

As a director, I believe that the stories based on true events, especially the consequences of which we can still see today, make the most impactful movies. The Rosenhan Experiment was only a small part of the deinstitutionalization movement of the 70s. Some good things came out of it – for instance, the improvement of the diagnosis system. However, most of the psychiatric wards had to shut down releasing thousands of mentally challenged people on the streets. Those people turned homeless, some turned to criminal activities unable to find help.

My goal as a director is to shed light on the topical subjects of social injustice and prejudice. I strive to make stories that show the severity of the situation without taking advantage of people’s distress. Being treated a certain way translates to a person seeing themselves that way. So we should never make snap judgments or put labels on anyone.