Em

..it gives some idea of the film, that there are only ten IMDb written user reviews in total, and the last one is four years old.. hardly anyone's heard of Em, and assuredly less have actually seen it... but it had won accolades and awards at several film festivals.. and yet this is one of the best little films dealing with romance, heartbreak, and mental illness that you will be fortunate to come across.. and she is one of the best young actors that you will discover.. and yet according to IMDb she has only four productions to her credit.. {and with eight years on twitter only 169 followers).. it is unfathomable that it is only this one film production of hers having merit, and it's been her last major work since.. what happened to her.. that could be a story-line for a screenplay in itself..

EM is a true movie about Bipolar. You see how the character of Amanda grows and you feel her strength. She is true what she is going through,"Amanda says some people get more pain than others" it imply s why suicide comes to play. Amanda, dominates in every scene she is in. All I could say at the last scene, she is so Brave. If you look at all the other characters they take a back seat to her. Amanda goes through her life a lot by being alone. Yet each character has learned from her presence. Bipolar has a stigma in the society today but many are extremely bright people. I find in many ways ignorance no matter how educated or successful and not want to learn of things that don't fit in their lives.

This low budget indie tells the story of a young man's love for a woman stricken with bi-polar disorder.

In a small, quiet, character based film like this performances are everything, and director Barbieri gets two very strong ones from Nathan Wetherington and Stef Willen.

There is something very personal about the way the story is told, and it manages to avoid the two obvious traps – becoming soapy or becoming clinical. Armed with a penetrating eye for framing, and a willingness to really watch what's happening on the actors'faces between the lines in almost a Bergmanesque way, there is a real intimacy in the film, as well as a haunting sense of loss. One of the better, more honest and more effecting films about mental illness and its effects I've seen.

Em is a compelling and simple film. Subtle and beautiful, it unwraps the lives of two people struggling to come to peace with their emotions. Relating to anyone who has ever dealt with or encountered someone with a mental illness, Em is a movie that speaks to all generations.

Editing progresses the film quickly, relying on the viewer to fill in any gaps. Actors focus on relaying emotion rather than speaking lines and before you know it, you're hooked.

This movie achieves what every film should aspire to – it tells an intelligent and well planned story without any pretense. Told with the up most care, Tony Barbieri deserves great credit for creating a painfully honest film about what it means to love.

This story forcefully reminds you of the wonder of falling in love and the reckoning that can follow. The title character is portrayed by Stef Willen. Ms. Willen brings both vulnerability and grace to the screen. She commands your attention each time she appears. Nathan Wetherington also delivers a poignant performance as Josh. Beautiful cinematography is apparent from start to finish. Film was awarded the 2008 Seattle International Film Fesitval American Cinema Grand Jury Prize. Directed by Tony Barbieri. This film garnered producers Jim Jermanok and Harry Gregson-Williams an honor at the 2009 Brooklyn International film festival for Outstanding Achievement in Production.