The filmmaker behind “The Pill That Steals Lives”
Katinka Blackford Newman is a London-based life coach, journalist and award-winning documentary filmmaker. With over 25 years’ experience, she has directed films for broadcasters including the BBC, Channel 4, HBO Max, Discovery and National Geographic, and is known for telling deeply human, character-led stories.
The film being shown at Mad in Norway Film Festival is one of her most personal. Created with her children, who appear on camera, it tells the story of her experience of iatrogenic illness following prescribed psychiatric medication, and her journey back to health. What began as a family account has since become the foundation for her wider work.
Following this experience, Katinka became a prominent voice on the risks and long-term effects of antidepressants. She is the author of “The Pill That Steals Lives” and the founder of AntidepressantRisks.org, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving informed consent and amplifying the voices of those harmed.
Alongside her campaigning, she works as a life coach and hosts the “Med Free Mental Fitness Podcast”, exploring approaches to mental wellbeing beyond medication.
Her work is driven by a commitment to greater honesty, understanding and compassion in conversations about mental health, so that others can make more informed choices than she was able to.