Fortitude is a short film by Brit Johanne E Landa. Her story told through a group of people - each carrying her secret from life's harsh treatment, portrayed in their own unique way. One after the other we dive into each and one of them's inner demons...
The struggle every human being faces from child to growing up... Who am I, who will I become and how do I live? Expectations, how they change over time, but still remain... How we deal with it differently and how it can lead us into a path that is darker than what we are aware of. Making choices we don't always feel are part of who we are, just in order to satisfy others or to break their expectations or opinions about us.
With Fortitude, Brit Johanne wanted to emphasis the importance of acknowledging the signs, struggles and fights of depression, anxiety, suicide, rape or any other abuse. How important it is to talk about it, not keep quiet, don't silence it, but show its existence. It happens, people are coping, fighting everyday. Brit Johanne herself has struggled with depression ever since she was a child. Later on it evolved into anxiety and thoughts about her own existence - to "extinguish" herself occurred... Opening a door to abuse. She has felt life harsh treatment and still are... Therefor she knows the importance of hearing people speak up, so that one can see there are others out there with similar battles, "It's not just me who is born "fault minded", we all have our inner demons"...
Fortitude has a collected portion of Brit Johanne's life, portrayed in different ways, hoping to justify the many different ways people struggle with same or similar matters so that as many as possible can relate, find comfort, support or answers with this short film.
Being an actor, a filmmaker allows you to express your story and others stories to the world, for those who wish to hear. It allows you to discuss valuable, life changing matters. One should take advantage of the opportunity given as actors and filmmakers, standing on the platform provided and spread words and topics that matters, that are important!
Fortitude will present a group of friends hanging out, showing you that one can't always see when someone is struggling or going through something. It might seem "fine" on the outside, but on the inside it is slowly tearing them apart. When do you see the signs?