40th Year anniversary event of Watership Down dedicated to academic discussion

A University of Birmingham academic, Professor Lisa Bortolotti , has applauded the director of the new feature film Out of Blue , Carol Morley, for challenging the widely-held notion that mental illness is a wholly damaging condition that defines the person experiencing it. The film is a neo-noir detective story, a metaphysical mystery revolving around contemporary Atlanta and the mysteries of the universe. It stars Patricia Clarkson as female homicide detective Mike Hoolihan. When she investigates the shooting of leading astrophysicist and black hole expert, her quest for the truth destabilises her view of the world, and herself, and she is affected in ways she struggles to comprehend. Together with two other experts, Professor Bortolotti acted as a consultant on the film, which is based on the Martin Amis novel 'Night Train' and is backed by BFI, the BBC, and the Wellcome Trust. Professor Bortolotti gave advice on the screenplay and on the first cut of the film. Professor Bortolotti's research focuses on the costs and the benefits of behaviours that society tends to view as marks of mental illness.