If art is supposed to make you feel something, then consider young Philadelphia-based filmmaker and creative director Elijah Crawford as potentially the next great emerging artist of our generation.
By the end of the exhibition people were going insane, and the music played a huge role in that. Some people told me they heard the song in their nightmares long after the exhibition ended, and I think that’s a beautiful thing.Director Elijah Crawford (Ugly Art Films) on his immersive debut premiere for ‘The Cure for Depression,’ 2024.
Crawford’s poignant work is as deep as it is broad — ranging from vintage-inspired fashion captures that draw you into a ritzy other world, to thought-provoking art films on the unseen perils that lie just below the surface of a smiling modern society. His work somehow simultaneously hits these strong cords yet feels digestible for a range of audiences, both old and young. Crawford himself is much the same. An unapologetically vibrant character in both dressing and personality, the Ugly Art Films director can light up any room he smoothly strolls into — and easily strike up a riveting conversation with anyone in it. Ugly Art debuted its first art film ‘The Cure for Depression’ with Elijah Crawford at the director’s helm earlier this year on May 10, 2024 in Philadelphia. The immersive premiere showing at the historic MoA Bank at 27 N 3rd Street was met with resounding applause from the city’s creative crowd.
‘The Cure for Depression’ film was successfully funded in part via leading crowdsourcing platform Kickstarter, proving Crawford and team’s ability to appeal as a strong up and coming voice within the filmmaking industry. The project’s script was shortlisted for the Blackstar Film Festival Filmmaker’s Lab, plus earned Kickstarter’s “Projects We Love” merit after an opportunity arose for Crawford to pitch his film concept directly to the platform. Ugly Art Films announced production commencement, casting, and fundraising for ‘The Cure for Depression’ in early 2022, continuing to film throughout the following year into 2023, and debuted its premiere showing to a select invited audience of VIP guests in May of 2024. ‘The Cure for Depression’ is a meaningful commentary through dark comedy about the exploitation of mental health through excessive consumerism, forcing the viewer to examine their own lifestyle affections in today’s world. Its titular phrasing cheekily takes the physical form of a dental cheek retractor, which forces the wearer’s mouth into a somewhat unnerving image of a smile (or a grimace) with every tooth bared. In synopsis, our main character Edie — a deeply depressed and highly impressionable girl — listens to a cryptic self-help cassette tape to cure her depression, and rid herself of the perpetually running mascara that plagues her face. However, chaos ensues when she abruptly realizes she must simultaneously do this while meandering an eerily cheerful party she was forced to attend by her well-meaning family members.
Crawford’s thorough yet offbeat attention to detail is second to none, earning the young creative a coveted space at the top of our personal list of ‘ones to watch’ in the art and filmmaking industries. The immersive premiere was no standard screening — three nearly identical actresses portraying the film’s troubled main character wandered the historic restored MoA Bank building, listed on Philadelphia’s historic architecture registry as the Manufacturers National Bank. Remaining in character, the actors went through Edie’s tedious and symbolic motions with unsettling repetition as premiere guests mingled or ordered classic cocktails within the building’s reflective historic vault, viewed behind-the-scenes process shots in vintage viewfinders, posed for retro film snaps captured eerily by a retractor-wearing photographer, and theorized on the meanings behind each immersive scene set on the Ugly Art team’s glowing stage. Crawford himself was in his element: bouncing happily from conversation to conversation, the director’s genuine beaming smile contrasted heavily with the darkly comedic scene reenactments and colourful promotional artwork prints splashed across the building’s dramatically painted walls. Notable guests included fashion, social media, filmmaking, and media names as well as Crawford’s personal supporters. His mother painted a proud figure, wearing a multicolour printed dress and a brilliant smile just as bright as she met guests and took her seat at the forefront of the rows of benches set for the film’s screening.
And as soon as the intro of the movie began, I started crying. It was a culmination of a ton of things, but it was mostly a release of all the hard work and dedication that got me to that point. Against all odds, it was me, the self taught, college dropout, who brought the city together if only for one night, to support an artist’s idea.Director Elijah Crawford, multi-disciplinary creative & founder of Ugly Art Films (2024)
‘The Cure for Depression’ is a masterful work that pulls no punches. Depression, social expectations, consumerism, emotional toxicity, trauma and PTSD, death, and support systems are thrust under a microscope in the most visually appealing way possible. Our main character Edie (played by actress Zoe Rayn Evans) is at once nuanced, yet relatable. Stoic, yet vulnerable. Unreadable, yet somehow feels as familiar as the inside walls of our own minds. As Edie struggles to overcome her own looming mental illness, we see her tangentially interact with her friends and family who run a gauntlet spectrum of their own trials, each coping in their own way. Some are seen to cope better than others, as the film reveals in a shocking twist that left a stunned audience gaping for a moment in the deathly silent vaulted room. As the credits rolled, well-deserved applause suddenly erupted to echo through the historic venue as director Elijah Crawford and the film team emerged to make their bows. Soon after, the lively chatter started — this is one creative who certainly knows how to get everyone talking.
Excited to see what’s next for Elijah Crawford after his stunning director’s debut through ‘The Cure for Depression,’ I sat down to peek behind the curtain and unveil a bit of the mysterious mechanics that make a brilliant artistic mind tick. Read the exclusive interview below for his thoughts on filmmaking, art, life, mental health, and the real cure for a creative’s depression.
…. If you catch lightning in a bottle once, that’s a miracle. If you do it twice, it’s a skill. That being said, I can’t wait to do it again.Philadelphia’s Rising Star Filmmaker & Director Elijah Crawford, 2024.
The Cure for Depression tackled some heavy topics — self harm and suicide, depression, struggling with social cues, masking, and withdrawal from community. How did you prep your actors for such a loaded, and find the right faces to artfully portray meaningful topics like this?
I had to essentially have each actor descend into madness as a collective. I tried performance art techniques referencing Marina Abramovic's The Artist is Present, where I had them stare at each other for long periods of time, without saying a word. I also had them listen to Everywhere at The End of Time every single day until they finished the 6-hour ambient conquest it’s composed of. It was an illustration of sitting in uncomfortability for a seemingly inescapable long period of time, inherently mimicking the feeling of being depressed. From there I had each actor try to interpret what the madness they experienced meant to their individual characters.
What’s one line in the film that you hope will stay with the viewer after the credits roll?
The Mom has a line, where she says “Oh Edie, Society isn’t built on thoughts, it’s built on action” because it’s so indicative of the hypocrisy of today’s day and age that I'm critiquing in the movie. This era of doing things, just to do them, without putting an ounce of thought or critical thinking behind it, then calling it “progressive art” to hide laziness behind subjectivity.
Do you have a special certain scene that stands out as most meaningful to you?
The split screen scene where Edie has to make friends with Pinata girl, is one of my favorite scenes. It shows the juxtaposition between Edie and her proximity to the people around her. The scene has all the feelings of a resolution or some relief from the awkwardness as Edie seems to find a genuine connection with someone from the party. But as the scene progresses, you start to notice the subtext of the conversation actually reveals a more dark and harsh reality, that is in fact a foreshadowing of the disaster that shortly follows.
Tell me a bit about the filming of the project and the setup of the exhibition showcase. What’s the significance to you in the location for the premiere? How did you find such an incredibly atmospheric space?
Pulling off a 30 minute short film, in 3 shoot days, is no easy task. It was definitely a labor of love, which is directly correlated with why I went so BIG for the premiere. The work put into the film by all the cast and crew deserved a proper rollout in order to be truly appreciated. The location of the exhibition was very integral to the experience we were trying to curate. We needed a space that felt familiar, but not yet explored, this way the audience would have to blindly navigate their environments, not knowing what was awaiting them around each corner. Meg Saligmann welcomed us to transform her space with open arms, which I am eternally grateful for.
Were there any moments or stories with the cast and crew during production and staging the premiere that were especially memorable for you?
There was a moment at the very beginning of the first night when the movie screened. I was standing on the balcony with my A.D. Knox, waiting for the movie to begin. And as soon as the intro of the movie began, I started crying. It was a culmination of a ton of things, but it was mostly a release of all the hard work and dedication that got me to that point. Against all odds, it was me, the self taught, college dropout, who brought the city together if only for one night, to support an artist’s idea. My entire family was there as well, some of which traveled from Ohio to come see me. When I walked into the afterparty, my mother and oldest brother started the applause, to which the entire room erupted on my behalf and that was just a beautiful thing, man. It was one of those moments that reminded me “This is what you’re meant to be doing. This is where you’re meant to be.”
What was your biggest challenge with The Cure for Depression? How did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge with The Cure For Depression was knowing when to say “Okay, this is finished.” I was trying so many different storytelling and editing techniques, that it was extremely easy for the premise to become convoluted or lost in translation, especially considering the absurdity of the plot. At a certain point I had to just take a step back from this work that I’d been monitoring so intensely to look at the project as a whole, and even then, I wasn’t exactly satisfied, but I was content.
Creating an immersive world around an audience is a lost art — and it’s one that you’ve revived. From a unique premiere space, to on-brand souvenirs, to a living art installation with multiple Edie iterations and interactive rooms for guests…the opening showing for The Cure for Depression felt almost like a live theatrical experience rather than a film screening. Every corner held something unexpected, yet relevant. What was it like to build an entire universe? Were you inspired by anyone or anything in doing so?
This is a great question as I was heavily inspired by a ton of different mediums. I studied a ton of different immersive exhibitions and fashion shows. Sleep No More and Emma Gage’s “THE HEIST” for her MELKE AW24 collection were very high on that list. I also studied the curation of a ton of my favorite museum exhibitions. I remember seeing Miles Aldridge’s show at the Fotografiska, and being absolutely blown away by the way they transformed the gallery. Alex Prager’s “Run” exhibition at Lehmann Maupin and Nadia Lee Cohen’s “HELLO, My name is” at Jeffrey Deitch were huge inspirations for world building as well. I attended Alex Prager’s talk for her exhibition/premiere and asked her a question regarding trusting your art, and her advice was simply “If you’re unsure, you’re on the right track.” That has always resonated with me.
As for the performances, I watched a ton of documentaries on performance artists. The Artist is Present by Marina Abramovic showed a ton of insight on the behind the scenes of what it takes to put actors in the mindset of doing redundant and tedious work for hours on end. It’s a bit of a cruel mindset to have to bring someone to, but I believe it was necessary. I wanted the actors in the exhibition to be so invested in their tasks that the viewers felt like they were trapped in purgatory.
To further the experience even more I reached out to Kaylee Sabatino, an absolutely brilliant musician and composer, to craft a dreary atmospheric track that we played on loop for hours. By the end of the exhibition people were going insane, and the music played a huge role in that. Some people told me they heard the song in their nightmares long after the exhibition ended, and I think that’s a beautiful thing.
Where do you envision the future of filmmaking headed? How do you fit into it?
The Future Of Filmmaking is in great hands, although the market feels oversaturated, we are absolutely in an era where there are films for almost every kind of person being produced. Every niche and subculture is getting touched on, and I couldn’t be happier. As for myself, I plan to carve out my own lane making compelling films, with immersive exhibitions to pair along with them. I think it’s such an elevated way to present films of any kind, and I’d die happy if I could do it for the rest of my life.
What do you want your viewers to take away from The Cure for Depression? (Other than…well, a cure for depression.) How do you hope it resonates with them?
My intention was for people to take away the harsh realities of what living with depression feels like. I’m urging people to try and find deeper connections with those around them. This world feels so surface level at times and that is only amplified when your mental health is poor. Sometimes there isn’t a quick fix or platitude that can fix a situation. Sometimes it takes time, effort, and attention. I feel like when people take a step back and look at the society we’ve created, this thin veil of empty positivity is actually far more toxic and detrimental to someone’s well-being than just addressing the issues thoughtfully.
Being a creative in a world that can be built against the arts is often challenging. What keeps you going in staying true to your own creative vision, building a unique brand, and rejecting external pressure to conform?
I think people are so fucking worried about being liked that it’s having a negative effect on the art that’s currently being produced. People care more about being accepted and curating art that touches on mundane subjects, than they do about creating art that speaks to something they’re truly passionate about. I don’t create my art to be accepted, I create my art as an expression of how I view the world we live in. You can love it or hate it, but it’s my truth.
I’d love to hear one sentence you’d share with young creatives and filmmakers who are questioning if their work will make a difference and resonate with their community.
Instead of wasting time figuring out if it’s good enough, just create it, because nobody truly knows what they want until you show it to them.
At the end of the day…what are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of my team, who stuck by me, in pulling off this insanely difficult task. Specifically…
My Curator: Elizabeth Bergeland
My Creative Producer: Dorit Avganim
My Immersive Exhibition Consultant: Taj Rauch
My Marketing and Communications Consultant: Donte Knox
Even Audrey Gallagher, who not only helped out with production assistant work, but took the remarkable photos that were hanging in the gallery.
Without them, the exhibition would have crumbled. It truly takes a village to pull off a vision like that, and they executed it flawlessly.
But for me, if you catch lightning in a bottle once, that’s a miracle. If you do it twice, it’s a skill.
That being said, I can’t wait to do it again.
Elijah Crawford is a multi-faceted creative based in Philadelphia. Crawford is known for his unapologetically bold style and personality, having been published in numerous publications and media outlets for style, photography, and interviews such as Vogue Runway, Insider, and Fault Magazine. He is the founder of Ugly Art Films, a retro-inspired media agency located in Philadelphia’s Building Bok studio and which has been featured on Billboard, MTV, and Insider to date. Crawford is a 2024 Mural Arts fellow and IPMF Award recipient. He made his director’s debut in May 2024 with ‘The Cure for Depression,’ a dark comedy film project on the exploitation of mental health. You can find more of his work on social media at @Foxxy_Grandpa_ and @UglyArtFilms or online at www.uglyartfilms.com.
CREDITS
Editor & Writer: Laur Weeks @Laur.Weeks
Director: Elijah Crawford @Foxxy_Grandpa_
Agency: Ugly Art Films @UglyArtFilms
Photography: Mochi Robinson @MochiOnFilm
All media courtesy of Ugly Art Films.
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