Boy Interrupted

Boy Interrupted is a 2009 documentary film on the life and death of Evan Perry, who experienced bipolar depression from a young age. When his parents, Dana and Hart Perry, consulted psychiatrists about Evan's suicidal comments or other signs of depression, medical professionals did not believe that he was mentally ill, and the footage was originally intended to show his symptoms and help access to the treatment he needed. Evan was diagnosed with depression at age 5, and was later diagnosed with bipolar depression. Despite the treatment and medication received, he died by suicide in 2005 at age 15. Evan Perry had a family medical history involving serious mental illnesses. The documentary focuses on how his bipolar depression affected him and those close to him. About four years after Evan's death, the documentary was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and released on television and DVD.