We Are Skateboarders: A Mental Health Transformation

This autobiographical experimental documentary explores Ben Duffy's first film, We Are Skateboarders, and the 15-year mental health journey that followed. At 19, living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, he made a film that became the second most-watched skateboarding documentary after Dogtown and Z-Boys, though it was not a commercial success. As attention grew, his mental health deteriorated, forcing him to question the meaning of success. Therapy helped him confront trauma, shame, guilt, and complex PTSD linked to the filmmaking experience, capturing a transformation from pain toward catharsis, self-love, and compassion.