In 1975, a group of psychiatrists and their clients started meeting in a basement pub. The goal: fill the hole of isolation patients felt between therapy sessions. Those weekly social outings turned into Instuif.

Instuif is a community center for psychiatrically vulnerable people living in Antwerp, Belgium. For their 50th anniversary, they asked us to create a short film that tells their unique story.

We were curious. But we weren’t sure how emotionally and psychiatrically vulnerable people would react to a camera and a microphone suddenly showing up in their “safe haven.” So before ever taking out our cameras, Instuif invited us to join them for a few events. Casually socializing with community members became the backbone of the project. Relationships developed and trust followed. Incorporating a calming, meditative filming style, the film reproduces the feelings of the participants who described Instuif as a “safe haven” or “a home” where they can always feel at peace with themselves and others like them.

Instuif is an organization that feeds a local community, both literally and figuratively. And we are proud to support their goals.