It’s all about connection

Behind the Smile — Finding Inspiration Foundation

Every day, a young person says "I'm fine."
And means the opposite.

The story

There is a young man right now who is not okay.

He knows it. But he has learned to say "fine." And the people around him have learned to believe it.

He laughs loudest in the room. He shows up. He handles it. And at night, alone, he carries something he does not have the words to put down.

The barrier is rarely access alone. It is stigma. It is cultural pressure to appear strong. It is the deep, quiet belief that needing help means something is wrong with you.

You cannot hand someone a brochure and expect them to break through all of that.

But you can show them a story.

41%
Rise in youth suicide rates in North Carolina since 2014 — one of the steepest in the country
54%
Increase in suicide rates among Black youth ages 10–19 in NC since 2019
22×
More effectively retained: stories vs. statistics alone, per peer-reviewed research
About the film

"Fine." is not a lecture. It is a mirror.

Fine. is a comedic-drama short narrative film centered on a Black male teenager who has learned to hide his pain behind humor and ease. As he drifts further from the people who love him and closer to habits that hurt him, the gap between who he is and who he pretends to be grows wider.

It is made for every young person who has ever walked into a room and said "I'm good" when they were not.

This is Finding Inspiration Foundation's fifth short film. It builds on a proven model — funded by the City of Charlotte's Creative Growth Grant in 2025 — that has already brought audiences to tears, opened conversations people swore they would never have, and connected real people to real resources.

Step 01
The film gets made.
A professional crew, a licensed mental health therapist on set, and a two-time local Best Director award winner come together for a three-day shoot in Charlotte. Youth serve as actors and crew shadows — because this is their story and they deserve to help tell it.
Step 02
The film gets screened.
Teens from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools attend a free premiere at the Independent Picture House. Mental health resource partners — MHA of Central Carolinas, Mind the Gap, Alexander Youth Network, and NAMI Charlotte — are in the room. No one leaves empty-handed.
Step 03
The film keeps moving.
Fine. travels into CMS schools and rec centers for facilitated community screenings. Then it goes on YouTube, free, so any young person anywhere can find it.
Step 04
The conversation continues.
Licensed mental health therapist Frederick Murphy co-facilitates every post-screening discussion. Youth speakers share from their own experience. The room becomes something rare: a place where a teenager can exhale.
Your support

Every gift makes something specific happen.

$500
Covers rideshare and transportation vouchers so cost is never a barrier for a young person trying to attend.
$1,000
Funds the production materials and wardrobe that make the film authentic to the world our teens actually live in.
$2,500
Covers the honoraria and facilitation support for two full post-screening community conversations.
$5,000
Funds one full community screening event — from setup to final resource handoff.
$10,000
Covers the IPH premiere, including venue, logistics, and every resource partner at the door.
$35,000
Fully funds the project — from the first day of production through the final community screening.
Give now

Every dollar goes directly toward this film.

Finding Inspiration Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your gift is tax-deductible.

Support the film
The vision

When the lights come up, something will shift.

A parent will think about the conversation they have been putting off. A teenager will look at their phone and, almost for the first time, text someone the truth. A young man who has never cried in public will feel something move through him that he cannot explain.

We cannot guarantee what each person will do with that moment. But we can guarantee the moment happens. And we can make sure that when it does, support is in the room and ready.

That is what this project is. A moment, built with care, for young people who have been waiting for someone to see them.

Your investment in "Fine." is not just funding a film. It is funding the first honest conversation a young person has about what they are actually carrying.
That conversation can save a life.
About us

Finding Inspiration Foundation

Finding Inspiration Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Charlotte, NC. Our mission is to use the power of film and storytelling to spark honest conversations about mental health, reduce stigma, and connect communities to accessible tools for healing and growth.

Our model is simple: a free short film screening, followed by a facilitated post-film discussion co-led with a licensed mental health professional, with vetted support resources available for every person in the room. Our previous four films have brought audiences to tears, opened conversations people swore they would never have, and connected real people to real support.

Story First. Community Next. Action Always. EIN: 33-3083021  |  findinginspirationfoundation.org
© 2026 Finding Inspiration Foundation. All rights reserved. Donate →

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