KUALA LUMPUR: In the new local psychological thriller Eva: Take Me As I Am, the titular character suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Played by Nadia Aqilah, the story follows her character's struggle to contend with three alter egos, namely Eva, Amy and Mike, who are trapped in her body.
Her split personality condition developed over the years as a result of a coping mechanism in dealing with a terrible childhood trauma.
Although Eva is a successful lawyer and Amy is a forensic expert, things start to unravel when Mike, who is a murderer progressively becomes the dominant personality.
"We made this film with the intention to provide exposure and to educate society on the causes and effects of mental health problems," said co-producer Diyana Ismail of D'Alpha Legacy Sdn Bhd during a screening event yesterday at Dadi Cinema in Pavilion KL.
Diyana who conceived the idea for the P18-rated movie added: "There would be certain people who take this issue lightly, but the issue of mental health is a serious issue.
Eva co-producer and screenwriter Nur Aminahtul Mardiah said that the film was also intended to show those who suffer from mental health issues that they were not alone.
"Believe that aside from family and friends, those who are grappling with these issues actually need strong support from society.
"We are with you and don't give up because this is something that can be treated and in time healed," she said.
First time filmmaker Suhaiza Aziz added that those with mental conditions should not be shunned but rather be given the opportunity to seek out treatment.
"Eva is the very first film I directed. This film gave me the opportunity to provide positive exposure to people on mental issues.
"These things do happen to our people but are usually ignored. Some would even choose to distance themselves from those who suffer from these mental issues.
"I wanted to highlight that a caring approach really does help those who are afflicted with the many forms of mental health issues.
"The moral support will directly give them the strength to face the many challenges they face that makes them slightly different than the rest of us," she said.
Aside from Nadia, Eva also stars Nadia Brian, Shamsul Danish, Datuk Jalaludin Hassan, Tony Eusoff, Hasnol Rahmat, Esma Daniel and Norman Hakim.
The edgy film has already received several international accolades including Best Thriller/Suspense at the Cannes Film World Festival and Best Cinematography at the United States Film Festival, as well as Best Actress (Nadia Aqilah) and Best Supporting Actress (Nadia Brian) at the Hong Kong World Film Festival.
Eva: Take Me As I Am is set to premiere in cinemas on Jan 26.