Every AOM class is built around short films. Those films come from Voices With Impact (VWI), our year-long filmmaking grant program that finds and funds underrepresented artists telling important stories about mental health. Understanding where the films come from helps explain why they work so well in your classes.

How VWI works

Each year, VWI awards production grants to 10 filmmakers or filmmaking teams to create 5-minute films on a specific mental health theme. Past themes include grief and resilience, substance use, burnout, Black mental health, immigrant stories, LGBTQIA+ mental health, masculinity and mental health, Indigenous stories, sexual violence and mental health, cliques and echo chambers, serious mental illness, and climate change.
The themes are chosen based on what schools and communities are actually navigating. That's by design: because VWI films end up in AOM classes, the topics need to reflect real conversations happening on campuses.

What filmmakers receive

VWI is more than a grant. Each funded team gets a $7,500 production budget, one-on-one mentorship from film industry professionals, mental health consultation to ensure accuracy and sensitivity, regular production meetings and story consultations with the VWI team, and a world premiere at the Voices With Impact Film Festival in Vancouver, B.C.
Past mentors have included producers from Apple TV+, Pixar animators, National Geographic directors, and NAACP-nominated writers. The program is designed to be filmmaker-first. VWI builds a cohort each year, and alumni stay connected through a growing network of artists who share opportunities, resources, and talent with one another.

What this means for your classes

The films you're using in AOM classes aren't stock content pulled from a catalog. They're original works made by artists who were specifically supported to tell mental health stories with care, creativity, and accuracy. Each film was evaluated by a jury of film industry and mental health professionals before being selected. Many have gone on to screen at international festivals, and one has won a Student Academy Award.
Because VWI chooses its themes based on what educators need, the film library grows in directions that matter to the people using it. When you browse classes on AOM, the topics you see reflect years of intentional investment in stories that open real conversations.

The film library

VWI has produced over 140 short films since 2011 through annual production grants, monthly film submission contests, and other open calls. The full collection is browsable under the Voices With Impact section in the top navigation. You can watch any film, read about the filmmaker, and see which AOM classes and Wellness Snacks feature it.

For filmmakers

If you're a filmmaker (or know one), VWI accepts submissions each year, typically opening in August. The program is open to emerging and established filmmakers alike. Visit the Voices With Impact section of the site to learn about the current year's theme, read the submission guide, and sign up for the VWI mailing list.

Tips & Notes

• You don't need to know anything about VWI to use AOM. The films work on their own. But many instructors find that understanding the filmmakers' stories and intentions adds depth to their facilitation.
• Each film's detail page includes the filmmaker's bio, the film's description, and any festival or award history.
• New films are added to the library each year after the VWI festival, which means the class catalog continues to grow with fresh, relevant content.