About the Film
Produced by The Quell Foundation, Human First: Beyond the Athlete follows eleven former and current athletes as they share their personal mental health journeys and the challenges they have faced when life and sport become deeply intertwined. Away from the field, these current and former athletes have experienced both the euphoria and the darkness that commitment to excellence can bring. Through honest and vulnerable conversations, the film highlights the experiences athletes often navigate behind the scenes and creates a space for others to see themselves in these stories. Human First: Beyond the Athlete aims to open the door to more honest conversations around mental health in sports and encourage athletes, coaches, and athletic communities to create spaces where vulnerability and asking for help are welcomed.
World Mental Health Day Screening Series
This October, The Quell Foundation will bring its Athlete Mental Health Documentary to universities and communities across the country in recognition of World Mental Health Day.
For student-athletes, college can bring extraordinary opportunity alongside extraordinary pressure. Competition, academics, injury, identity, social expectations, and uncertainty about what comes next can all affect mental health—yet many athletes still feel expected to simply push through.
Through film and conversation, the Screening Series will create space to talk openly about those experiences, challenge stigma, and connect students and communities with a broader movement for mental health.
Every athlete’s experience is different.
The stories featured in the documentary explore the moments behind the statistics, uniforms, and public accomplishments—the pressures athletes carry, the challenges they may not show, and the people and experiences that help them find a way forward.
Meet some of the athletes who chose to share their stories.
Cali - PhD, LCSW, Former College Runner
Trey - Professional Basketball Player
Bella - Former College Softball Player