The 2018 book The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt made ripples in the news regarding awareness of certain changes and patterns on college campuses. Years later, documentary filmmakers Ted Balaker and Courtney Balaker are investigating further after college campuses endure a Donald J. Trump presidency, worldwide pandemic, and even George Floyd protests that push further into the anxiety, depression, and division of college students in America in their documentary The Coddling of the American Mind.
Here is the official synopsis:
In 2012, anxiety, depression, and suicide rates among young adults began to rise dramatically, leaving experts baffled and searching for answers. The Coddling of the American Mind, based on the New York Times bestselling book by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, explores this mental health crisis through the intertwined stories of five remarkable twenty-somethings, including Kimi, a Ugandan immigrant, and Lucy, a former psych ward patient struggling with paranoia. As they enter college, their bright futures are soon overshadowed by fear and despair.
ALSO CHECK OUT: Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold Talk About The Devil’s Clim Adventure | INTERVIEW
LRM Online’s Gig Patta discussed the film, its authors, the college subjects, and the issues and trends concerning college campuses nationwide with director Ted Balaker and producer Courtney Balaker.
Ted Balaker is an award-winning filmmaker and co-founder of Korchula Productions. He directed The Coddling of the American Mind, the first “Substack presents” feature film. He also directed the documentary Can We Take a Joke? and produced the narrative film Little Pink House starring Catherine Keener. He started his career at ABC Network News, producing hour-long specials. Then, he served as a policy analyst at Reason Foundation before co-founding Reason TV and the Drew Carey Project.
Courtney Balaker is an award-winning filmmaker, professor of acting, and Korchula Productions co-founder. She is set to direct the feature adaptation of Troubled, based on the memoir of Robert Kim Henderson. She wrote and directed Little Pink House, which starred Catherine Keener as Susette Kelo. Her documentary credits included Can We Take a Joke?, The Coddling of the American Mind, and America in Primetime, a four-hour PBS series. She spent five years in New York City directing off-Broadway productions, including the New York revival of Austin Pendleton’s Uncle Bob starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
The Coddling of the American Mind is available on VOD today.
Watch the exclusive interview with Ted Balaker and Courtney Balaker below. Let us know what you think of the interview.
For news and interviews, contact Gig Patta at gig@lrmonline.com. Follow https://x.com/GigPatta, https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGigPatta, https://www.instagram.com/gigpatta or https://www.tiktok.com/gigpatta for all his postings and musings in entertainment.
Source: LRM Online Exclusive, Korchula Productions
