What people are saying about our documentary...


Although the stories told in the film were familiar to me, having already read the excellent book, I was struck by the visceral impact of the images and the emotions presented. Even the most innocuous photograph of a mother and her baby is replete with meaning, and the images presented in "The Smiling Mask", accompanied by their stories of overwhelming confusion and despair, become a heart-breaking dichotomy of joy and sorrow. Fortunately, the film's message of hope rises above all of its pain, and assures sufferers of PPD that they are not alone, and never were. I recommend this film to any person with least spark of empathy in their soul.
~ Dan Carr

Hearing the voices of those who experienced PPD first hand brings a new dimension to the illness and their stories.  Seeing the raw emotion and the hope of healing with both the women who lived it and the husbands who stood by them helps the viewer gain perspective and insight.  This is a must see for all couples as a testiment to "in sickness and in health", and how love and courage mixed with hope can heal.  This documentary creates a window for anyone whose mother experienced PPD to understand the tug-o-war between the head and the heart, between love and fear for her child.
~ Jill Poulton