'Touched with Fire' Release Date, Cast And Update: Director Paulo Dalio Offers Refreshing Insight To Bipolar Disorder

Filmmaker Paul Dalio offers his own take on the highly-stigmatized bipolar disorder on his debut feature entitled "Touched with Fire". Dalio creates a story about two young poets suffering from the disorder who found healing from each other.

The fact that the director, Paul Dalio, is a bipolar himself makes the film different, reports Washington Post. This places the film level with other film explorations like "Infinity Polar Bear" and "I Smile Back" which tell the story from the perspective of the sufferer. Dalio who learned about his condition during his 20s also noted the approach filmmakers often use to tell their story. Most films which revolve around the disorder are told through the eyes of friends and family members and not from the standpoint of the one who's suffering from the disease.

The story revolves around the lives of two bipolar poets Carla and Marco, who experienced the devastating effects of the disorder, according to Immortal News. They both ended up in a group therapy where they met each other. The pair embarked on a romantic adventure, creating plans to "teleport to the moon" as Immortal News quoted. Since the doctors believe that the two are not in the best state to start on a relationship, they decided to separate them.

Kay Jamison, a professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, praises the way the movie was portrayed, bringing the viewer into the minds of the sufferer. Jamison wrote the book "Touched with Fire" where Dalio got the inspiration for the film. Jamison noted that the film did not resort to exaggerated approach many movies adapt, reports Immortal News. Jamison who is a bipolar herself had a brief appearance in the film.

Even Chicago Tribune has praised the Dalio for offering a refreshing insight to mental health issues, however, the newspaper noted the poor production value of the film. The film starred by Katie Holmes and lead actor Luke Kirby. The movie has already made opened in select theaters in the U.S.A. and Canada.

Check out the trailer for "Touch with Fire" in the video below: