Nadeem Akhtar

Nadeem Akhtar is a film-maker, Psychiatrist and Associate Professor at McMaster University in Canada. A pioneer within his cohort, he was the first doctor to ever attend the Central Film School in London. Driven by a passion for the arts, he aspired to merge his interests of cinema and his profession to create innovation in therapy and education regarding mental illness. In 2015, he created a first of its kind therapy group for adolescents which revolved around the use of short films to process difficult emotions ("Film Therapy"). At the same time, he led feature film events, comprised of screenings followed by audience -panel discussion for the purpose of anti-stigma, public education. In 2017, alongside resident psychiatrists and medical students, he created Cine-Psych. The Cine-Psych project produces metaphorical short films regarding mental illness on a zero budget. All scripts are informed directly by those with lived experience for authenticity, and the films are intended to be used for anti-stigma advocacy and education. More recently, the Cine-Psych brand has expanded into a recognizable multi-arts events team and in October 2022, it hosted a bespoke evening including two cine-psych productions bridged by a live theatrical play.