- [Director] Are we rolling?

Action.

(upbeat music) - Maps media Institute presents, "Stories from Montana's Future" award-winning films produced by the talented young students from across Big Sky Country.

(upbeat music) (gentle music) - We're here, and we all know we're here and we all know we're surviving.

I thought it'd be like more of s than actually being the most like free place ever.

- [Woman] I never thought I'd hang out with teenagers.

Teenagers scared me.

- My case manager at school sai, "Hey, I have this friend she rus this really cool art group."

I said, "I'm not going."

And she said, "you know, I emailed your mom.

Your mom wants you to go."

I said, "I'm not going!"

(gentle music) To make sure I didn't get groun, I went.

I kind of realized that it wasn't a therapy group.

It was a place for people to fe.

- Because of the challenges our community has had with teen suicide in our school, I think there's been seven in the last five years.

That's incredibly scary.

There's something going on.

There's something that we need .

I started thinking about how thm might provide programs or space around helping kids find their .

(gentle music) - I think when we say like survl maybe seems a little bit dramat.

It is an art for survival class.

It has helped me with a lot of .

And especially it's been a huge coping mechanism.

- What we're doing is creating a space for teens access to art supplies, but it's not a clinical environ, it is a creative environment.

- I look at it as art to save tn who was contemplating suicide.

Art to save the person who was gonna drag themselves through life and was essentially gonna die inside.

The artist who was told that art will take them nowhere, they survive.

- Helen has definitely has dealt with a lot of suicides.

When I hear something that happs or someone talks to me about it will bring up my own past of dealing with it with family and myself personal.

It's fifth grade, That's actually when I tried ac.

The one thing that always like , was after I came out of the hosl my counselor was like, "it's gonna be okay."

Like I wish someone told me tha, like, "It's gonna be okay.

You can't just end it all.

You have so much waiting for yo.

Like, it will get better."

I didn't think there was anyone that talk to is, you know I was scared about what they wok or they'd be like, "Oh, buck up" Yeah.

There's a dialogue betwee.

And we're able to talk about the things that are weighing on our minds.

And, and I think here you can, you can just be what you are.

The minute we walk through thoss we know we're accepted and we know we're in a safe place.

- There's theories in psychology and education of flow.

Getting to a space in your life experience where you're so involved in something that time and hunger and things like that.

Cause to kind of fall away because you're enjoying what you're working on.

And that can happen when you'reg with art materials or listening to music or writing a story or experiencing art.

I mean, it's not, well, I almost said it's not something that's gonna heal thed but I kind of feel like it coul.

- Yeah, it lets you take the things that you feel end but then go - The art is everything in art for survival.

It's the people, it's the place.

It's the things we see.

The things we do that is the art and art for survival.

Every single time I come here, my mood is 100% improved.

I feel a lot smarter.

I feel a lot more creative.

It can be really difficult to find yourself a safe place where you can express yourself in ways that you never imagined but Art for Survival is just kif like our arms are open, make sog create something, be yourself, express yourself.

- I don't know.

I'm really glad we have it here.

at Holter Art Museum.

I never thought I'd ever be par.

If you're an artsy fartsy kind d you need to come over here Cause this is gonna open your life up to so many things.

I mean, it's, what's kept me go.

- Teens need it.

They need a space where they can be themselves and they can just come and sit with what they're feeling and pt into these great pieces of art or great pieces of writi.

- I want them to leave with con.

They no longer feel alone.

Perhaps they've learned that who they are is beautiful and they're valuable human beins connecting with art can make your life better.

- The biggest thing that Art for Survival has taught me so far is that I have the tools.

I will make the tools if I need to, to build up myself build up others through art through music, through writing, through friendship.

It's everything I've needed.

It has definitely changed my li.

(gentle music) (music playing) - Hey, Art, I'm sorry for making you wait.

It's fine.

What are you listening to?

-Just the usual.

-Yeah?

Are you okay?

Yeah.

-What's going on?

What's wrong?

I'm leaving.

You're leaving?

Leaving where?

-I'm leaving this town.

You mean you're running away?

Yeah.

I just can't anymore.

OK?

I'm completely locked here.

K?

There's nothing for me.

I, I just have got to get out.

-But what about your family?

What about me and Jade?

Where is Jade, anyway?

Have you told her?

No, probably at the garage working on a car or some.

Mia, what are you doing?

We're gonna talk about this.

Well, you could just leave afte.

-That's almost two years from n. Well, you don't even know where you're going.

You're gonna be all alone.

Well, not if you come with me.

-What?

I can't come with you.

My whole life is here.

And so is yours.

-But you have -- aren't you sick of this town?

All the people, the drugs and the casinos on every corner and this big giant slag pile.

Don't you want more out of life?

Hey - Dude, I love that slag pile.

It's kind of our thing.

You're not helping - Seriously.

What does this town have to offer?

- I don't know.

Your family, school.

A couple of kick-ass friends.

That'll tell you when you're being an idiot.

- Yeah, my, my family, right?

They didn't even bother to put a Christmas tree up this year.

You see, my father says he's ov.

You never told me that.

You see, that's exactly what I'm talking about.

See, my family just wants me to go to college and further my education, but all I want to do is play music and I don't need college to do .

- Well, if you think about it you don't have to run away to do that either.

Right?

Couldn't you just play m?

- When was the last time you guys saw band play playing East Helena?

- So why don't you put on a sho?

We'd come, probably.

-Jade?

Okay.

We'd come.

I promise.

Yeah.

I'd love to see you play a show.

- You guys are my friends.

You're supposed to say that.

I .

That makes me a disappointment.

Oh, don't say that.

- I'm done pleasing people.

I'm done pleasing my parents, my teachers and my friends.

I just got to get out of here and find out who I truly am.

- Well, can't you just stay one more night just to say goodbye, a last hurrah?

- I don't know.

I, I just found a place to cras.

- Knock it off.

Okay.

You can be a disappointmet for one more night.

- Fine.

But I got to call these?

-Pick you up at six!

Great.

This town is gonna suck without Art.

We're gonna convince him to sta.

-Uh, how would we do that?

We're going to give him a Chris, convince him that he's not a disappointment, and then we're going to get rid of that slag pile that he hates so much.

Did you just say, get rid of the slag pile?

- Yeah.

Oh, I guess it's good we have four hours then.

(upbeat) Hey, where are you going with t?

OK, go!

- Wait, where am I going?

We're going to the slag pile.

Let's go.

We can't just drive up to the s, you have to get permission.

Oh, we don't need permission.

I.

Come on.

Oh, we don't need permission.

I.

You know, you need permission to be up on the slag pile.

- Really?

- We just wanted to get a good look from the top.

Do you mind?

-Did I mention you need permisse on the slag pile?

-Sir I'm sorry, but our friend is this close from running away and ruining his life forever.

And you know, he's a really stun and it's just our last chance to convince him to stay, so could we just?

- So - Did I mention that I can give you permission?

-Alright, we are almost there.

Oh, yeah.. Stay one more night, Art.

We're gonna have a real fun nig.

Let's hold Art hostage!

-And.. - We are here.

Where are we?

We are in the only place where you can't look up and see the slag pile.

The top of the slag pile.

Well, how'd you get a tree up h?

You don't want to know.

- No.

- Town doesn't look so bad from this view up here you know, you might not get to choose where you live but you can always choose how yt -Or how you listen to it.

Yeah.

So, you know, how I'm alwg to music and I'm always asking what you are.

But you will never tell me, -Well, here, have a listen.

-Hey, this is my band!

This is my music!

- Yeah.

I listen to your music .

You make this place so much bet.

You know, It's really not so ba.

It's just how you choose to loo?

(music playing) I had always had this idea aboua that it was different and people looked at it differently.

Growing up with that divide is really strange because there's stigmas of kids that went to East Helena East Helena was originally a lead smelting town and the stigma has stuck but it's changed throughout the.

Like the stigma now in East Hels that the people are extremely cd off and drugs or something.

I'm leaving.

-You're leaving?

Leaving where?

-I'm leaving this town.

Aren't you sick of this town, all the people the drugs and the casinos on every corner and this big giant slag pile?

Don't you want more out of life?

- The thing is I can see that ss but I think the positives do much so outweigh the negative.

The way this East film was started was MAPS came to East Helena.

It started with a brainstorming session and it turned into ideas being thrown in and out and in and out.

And finally a great idea, kind of stuck together.

I don't know that much about cinematography and I needed assistance on how .

And I got that more than I expected because I got sp with how different things worked, audio rolling.

That was just such a fun time.

And I think it would be so much fun to continue that.

We are the kids that are going to kind of hold the future of East Helena.

And we really think we could make a difference.

- You know, you might not get to choose where you live but you can always choose how y.

(upbeats) (guitar playing) (gentle music) - Oh, hey.

-Hey!

- Stop.

Hello.

Excuse me.

Here.

Here, here.

Oh yeah.

Sorry.

Sorry.

Excuse me.

-You're good?

I'm good.

Yeah.

I'm so sorry about being late.

-It is perfectly fine.

Listen, listen, you are forgive?

Thank you.

Not your fault.

I -- little traffic?

Yeah.

Yep.

So, uh, what do you think?

Um, I would say it's unique.

Yeah.

Yes.

Very.

-I haven't been in many restaurants like this, but you know yeah.

They have this one table thing,w really going around in the art .

You know?

Definitely.

Definitely.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Pretty interesting.

Took me three months to get thi.

-Three months?

Yeah.

-Makes sense.

Cause you know, there's one tab.

Yeah.

-In the whole room.

-Mmmhmm.

-But yeah.

Let me just -- Vinny, right?

Vinny, yes.

Annabella?

-Uh, Annabelle is what you can .

My bad, sorry.

-No worries.

Hey, glad you could make it!

He.

Thank you.

-Enjoy please.

I ordered fish.

I think, uh.

Yeah.

Wow.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

I didn't know exactly wha.

No, it looks, it looks great.

I. I like skimmed the menu and I thought, you know what?

Okay.

-Yeah.

Dig in.

-Okay.

- Okay.

- Just cut?

Just divin in?

Okay.

- Hmm.

-You know, I was, uh browsing e-harmony and I saw you and you're beautiful.

Thank you so much.

-Is that too..?

No, no, no.

Not too early?

It's fine.

I'm flattered.

Thank you.

I was gonna say it sometime throughout the day.

I'm sorry.

Thank you very much.

- It's -- it's empty.

There's nothing in it.

No?

Have mine.

Seriously.

Come .

Thank you.

Thank you.

Can't believe they didn't bring you anything in yo.

Yeah.

That's kind of defeats the purp.

-And they got the oranges.

Oh, yeah, these are decoratives.

I really doubt they're gonna mi.

-Yeah, they're a little bit pla?

You know what?

Go for it, honestly.

Mmhmm.

Um, listen.

The reason I- I- I', you know, dating and whatnot Um, I was on e-harmony and I'm kind of a hypocrite.

I always said, I'm never gonna do any of that.

You know, the internet stuff.

-Me too, me too.

You know, it's just it seems like nothing would com.

But you know, my first divorce.. Oh, I'm telling that was brutal.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

Yeah, but you know, you know ths they get two Christmases.

It's good stuff.

You have....

I'm sorry.

Did you say you have kids?

I do.

Oh, I'm all for kids, so.

Yeah.

Good, because I've got plenty.

Oh wow.

Yeah.

So that's, you know, I, yw e-harmony and whatnot is why I'.

Trying to.

You know, back into .

You know?

-Yeah.

Hope I haven't lost it.

Listen, I'm gonna be honest wit.

-Mmhmm.

I'm not new here myself.

I've been coming here for threes and each time it's just gotten worse than the last this place is a dump.

Listen, I'm sorry.

You know.

-I wasn't gonna say anything, but.. -Listen you should have, You should say, go for it.

I was it's a little bit, a little bit different.

Not my style, really.

Venue, you know?

Listen, listen, what do you wan?

Anything.

-Anything?

You know.

Let's go bowling.

I'd love to.

-You wanna go bowling?

Let's go do that.

Okay.

Okay.

Yeah.

You could get the tip?

Um let's just leave.

-Let's just go, yeah.

We didn't get our money's worth anyways.

Nope.

Let's go.

(upbeats)