Rocks in My Pockets
Rocks in My Pockets
| 05 September 2014 (USA)
Rocks in My Pockets Trailers

The personal story of a woman struggling with an inherited illness, as told by Signe Baumane, the Latvian director-animator living in New York City. With humour and courage, the director sets out on a challenging journey to discover her family’s best-kept secret. Featuring five stories about the courageous women in Signe’s family and their battles with madness, visual metaphors, surreal images and director’s narration.

Reviews
StunnaKrypto

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

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Blaironit

Excellent film with a gripping story!

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ShangLuda

Admirable film.

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Taha Avalos

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

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nadeto-ch

This movie is a brilliant representation of both the political situation in a certain part of the world at that time AND mental illnesses inside out. It intertwines the two into a story that captures what the reality of a lot of ordinary people used to be back then, stuff we never actually get to see in movies. Even a slight hereditary mental illness could grow and devour a person completely in such a toxic environement. I'd recommend the movie to anybody who wants to see a fresh aproach on the topic in a beautifully executed form.

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Jason Olshefsky (Jayce)

This animated film is nearly a documentary about Baumane's family's history of mental illness—particularly suicidal depression, but told in a remarkably frank and surprisingly humorous way. Her accounts of her own depression and the personal, details of the experiences of her family are very honest and interesting. The remainder of the film, though, is somewhat uneven, spending a lot of time on seemingly inconsequential family history and on her eldest kin's stonewalling that haunts more recent generations. Nonetheless, in totality, it paints a remarkable picture. (Note that this review is also posted to my blog.)

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Diana Kelly

This afternoon at the Palm Springs International Film Festival I saw this wonderful film. Signe Baumane is a gifted animator and storyteller, integrating her family's story with events in Latvian history. Every family has skeletons in the closet, and Signe's is no exception. The difference is that she tells us the story of mental illness in her family as if she is talking to a close and trusted friend. Her approach uses humor and a realistic approach which draws us in and helps us to gain a better understanding of the challenges she and others in her family have faced. This is a brave and touching story, and an important story to share with others. Signe - congratulations on an outstanding film!

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Aija Marie Ozols Gibson

This is one of the most important films of our generation. A must-see. A stunning, rich, poignant piece which exposes issues that no other filmmakers have been brave enough to address. Watching it is like having a window into the minds of writers and artists who we have lost to depression and suicide- the contrast of the fight for survival, living with enhanced sensitivity, and struggling with the often cruel and icy world in which one is expected to thrive. It is a masterfully-woven visual story; comedic at times, captivating, and filled with tears and wonder. The gift of hearing the film-maker's voice throughout the movie reminds you that there is, indeed, living hope. One of the few films I am looking forward to purchasing and handing down to the next generation.

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