Colorado filmmaker highlights mental health in the ski industry

A Colorado filmmaker is using his passion to destigmatize mental health and suicide in the ski industry.

"The Mountain in My Mind" is a ski and snowboard film about mental health, directed by John Padilla, who lost his 15-year old brother to suicide.

"It was actually really healing to make this film because I realize that so many other people have gone through the same thing or have had this experience. It's a terrible club to be a part of but we have each other's backs in that club," Padilla told CBS News Colorado's Dominic Garcia.

Padilla's brother, Jack, was a freshman at Cherry Creek High School who died by suicide in February 2019. Friends and family members said Jack was the target of an older group of students who physically and verbally bullied him.

John Padilla's film covers numerous topics including suicide, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, sexual assault, substance abuse, domestic abuse and eating disorders. The film features nearly 50% men and 50% women and has all types of skiing.

"Ski towns, and Colorado is no exception, lie in a geographical region that's known as the suicide belt where the suicide rate is nearly triple the national average. So the ski industry really has a bad problem with it," said Padilla.

Padilla traveled over 36,000 miles all over the American West and interviewed everyone from amateur to professional skiers for his film.

"My only goal in making the film is having viewers walk away with some hope. That they know they're not alone and that they're willing to at least start a conversation with a friend or family member."

You can watch Padilla's film for free.