MicroGrant Success: Asha Ponnachan, Spring 2025

Project: Comical Depression (Film)

Asha Ponnachan set out to spark mainstream conversations about depression, its symptoms, how differently it can appear from person to person, and the broader mental health issues prevalent in society. She chose film as her medium, writing the short film Comical Depression and bringing it to life with support from a Matchmaker MicroGrant from the Mississauga Arts Council (MAC). The result is a thoughtful work that blends education and entertainment, offering light-hearted, family-centric content that encourages healthy conversations around mental health.

Comical Depression explores the many ways depression can manifest and examines the role relationships play in the life of someone experiencing it. The film follows Millie, a woman living with depression, as friends and family visit her throughout the day. While their intentions are good, their attempts to “help” often fall short—highlighting how a lack of awareness and understanding of depression can unintentionally deepen the disconnect.

“My artistic practice has grown considerably in and through the process of filmmaking from auditioning actors to final cuts and edits. Making this film is the fulfillment of a long-held dream and one of the biggest outcomes is the art of getting the right team together and all the inter-artistic professional relationships that have been built through the process which are already spilling into more projects in the pipeline. This film required my involvement in every aspect as the writer, actor, producer and project lead.”
– Asha Ponnachan

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Our MicroGrant program is made possible through the efforts of dedicated volunteers through the Charitable Gaming program. Thank you, Rama Gaming House, Mississauga Charitable Gaming Association, and Charitable Gaming. Community Good. for helping to fund artist-led projects!