Paper short abstract:

"One Of the Mad Ones" is a documentary history of a boarded New York psychiatrist who rejects modern psychopharmacology in favor of human interaction. After suffering a heart attack, he recapitulates his career and explains why his heart medication is making him want to commit suicide.

Paper long abstract:

"One Of the Mad Ones" is a documentary history of a boarded New York psychiatrist who rejects modern psychopharmacology in favor of human interaction. He's shown working with patients previously "dumbed down" with drugs, using his own unique interpersonal techniques. After suffering a heart attack, he recapitulates his career and explains why the medications he is on for his heart are making him want to commit suicide.

The film was shot over the course of two decades by the filmmaker Philip Singer, who documented Dr. DeSole's work at his clinic in upstate New York, and then interviewed him over the course of five days at his nearby home as DeSole's health and morale were deteriorating.

The documentary has already played at the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival, and was reviewed in the psychological anthropology journal Ethos (December 2011).

Director: Philip Singer

Runtime: 99 Mins.

Year of Production: 2011

Country of Production: USA

Location, Language: The film takes place almost exclusively in upstate New York, the language spoken in the film is English, with no subtitles.

The project is currently undistributed but academic sales are planned.