ABOUT

THE STORY

Richard Ruston was afflicted with paranoid schizophrenia before his daughter Delaney Ruston’s birth. After many years of shame, frustration, and fear, she decided to hide from her father and keep her phone number and address unlisted. But now, 10 years later, Richard is more stable on a newer medicine and Delaney, given her experiences as a doctor and a mother, decides to reconnect with her father. What new understanding and acceptance of her dad and his illness can she now find? What obstacles to getting her dad treatment will she now face? Knowing that her earlier failed attempts to get needed treatment to her dad is a common occurrence in today’s starved mental health system, Delaney decides to bring her camera with her during this journey of reconciliation.

As the story unfolds, Delaney finds that the wall she has created between her and her dad starts to slowly crumble as she applies her medical understanding of her dad’s illness to their tormented past. By meeting with people involved in her father’s life, past and present, and by referring to her father’s autobiographically based novel that he wrote during the onset of his schizophrenia, Delaney begins to better understand her father’s world and how she can now be a part of it.But this journey is not without strain as Delaney faces the conflicts around caring for her father that have existed since her youth. Delaney must confront family members who each hold strong opinions about her responsibility to her dad and she must face the constant tension of her dad wanting to go off treatment. When he finally does, Delaney finds herself on a race against time that is a matter of life and death.

Sharing touching and at times painful details about the personal toll of mental illness, Unlisted: A Story of Schizophrenia is a soul-searching examination into the nature of responsibility—of parents and children, of physicians and patients, of society and citizens towards those afflicted with severe mental illness.

"This is an outstanding film that should be seen by anyone who has a loved one, friend or relative with mental illness. In other words, just about everyone."

Amnon Shoenfeld

Director of King County's Mental Health Services

"Unflinching in its candor, Unlisted, reminds me of the incredible power that one compelling story can have in shaping the way we think about major societal issues."

Helene Gayle

former President of CARE

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THE FILMMAKER

Delaney Ruston is a filmmaker, Stanford trained physician and international speaker who makes documentaries to foster social change. She is the creator of the award-winning films, Screenagers, about solutions for healthy screen time and Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER, about improving the emotional wellbeing of today’s youth. Thus far 4 and a half million kids and adults have gathered for screenings in 85 countries.

As a known expert on this topic, Delaney is invited to speak at Google, The Aspen Institute, conferences, schools, and others, and her views are often in the press, such as Good Morning America, NPR, New York Times and many others. Examples of other films include Unlisted: A Story of Schizophrenia, about her father and Hidden Pictures about global mental health.

Ruston has partnered with groups such as the World Health Organization in creating advocacy campaigns and has won several awards for her efforts. A Fulbright Scholar and former researcher in Bioethics and Communication, Dr. Ruston has been faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and at Stony Brook School of Medicine in New York. Along with filmmaking Delaney currently provides medical care to the underserved and homeless, which she has done for over a decade.

More From Delaney Ruston

Featured on Dr. Oz, Forbes, Good Morning America, and many others