Medfest is a medical film festival which has been running since 2011, first founded by Kamran Ahmed to challenge the preconceptions about psychiatry and mental illness, with the following in mind:  

• Everyone loves films!

• There are some really obscure film festivals out there, like the ‘science fiction fantasy short film festival’. If they can have a film festival, so can we!

• Medicine and cinema have a very interesting relationship. There are some great films with a medical theme (One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest, My Left Foot etc) but they portray doctors and patients in controversial ways. 

• Psychiatrists (and potential psychiatrists) have a creative streak, which should be embraced and encouraged. 

• There is a strong artistic element to psychiatry; the patient interview, observations to perform a mental state exam and writing up an assessment uses some of the same skills as journalists, photographers and writers.

• The image of psychiatrists, which is perpetuated by other medical specialties, is a major obstacle to recruitment. 

• Film and psych have a lot in common; both are concerned with exploring personal relationships and deal with incredible stories. 

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Since 2011, Medfest has been running

in 43 medical schools, across 7 different countries attracting audiences of >3000 people!  

Let's make this year's Medfest even BIGGER!