After her father’s death, a woman in intensive therapy for debilitating contamination OCD must confront his death and her OCD with a totally normal, not weird at all, therapy exercise.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Melissa Kong

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

It's a proof of concept for a feature I've written. It is an authentic look inside the mind of someone with OCD. People with OCD are flooded with intrusive and obsessive thoughts that vary in subject e.g. sex, germs, religion, etc., all of which are rooted in uncertainty. These thoughts cause distress, so they engage in compulsive behaviors/rituals to decrease this distress. I want to portray the full scope of what it means to have OCD, because in film and TV, a character’s “compulsions” are often used to make them quirky for comedic effect.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

The story wasn’t just a way to accurately show OCD, it was about the protagonist’s grief and guilt felt over her father’s death. Don’t Worry About It depicts the debilitating nature of OCD, but, ultimately, uses hope and humor to tell a story of redemption.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Uncertainty, worry, and anxiety are all part of the human experience, but what happens when we let them control our lives? The film explores this through the lens of an anxiety disorder. I hope the takeaway for anybody watching is that like the protagonist, you have to face your fears and embrace the feelings associated with them, no matter how uncomfortable, in order to move forward with your life.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

People love the film in general because there is a great sense of humor to it. I'm so grateful for the folks who come up to me and say how grateful they are to see OCD portrayed so accurately.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I'm hoping that other films that portray mental or physical health issues will hire folks who actually understand the complexities and specificities to write those stories.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What is your fear and are you willing to face them head-on?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I'm working on another short film that will act as a proof of concept for a different feature.

Interview: January 2023

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Don't Worry About It

After her father’s death, a woman in intensive therapy for debilitating contamination OCD must confront his death and her OCD with a totally normal, not weird at all, therapy exercise.

Length: 12:13

Director: Melissa Kong

Producer: Grace Hahn

Writer: Melissa Kong

About the writer, director and producer:

MELISSA KONG's short film, Don't Worry About It, is about to play at Slamdance and has won Best Fiction Film from Dayton Independent Film Festival and Best International Film from Dublin International Comedy Film Festival. Melissa's writing highlights include Wonderful World (CAPE List, WIF x Black List finalist, Nicholl quarter-finalist), Tina Fey is My Friend (Nicholl Fellowship top 10%, Austin Film Festival semi-finalist), and Don’t Worry About It (Nicholl Fellowship top 15%).

GRACE HAHN is a Chicago filmmaker who has produced feature films Princess Cyd [dir. Stephen Cone, 2017] and Once Upon a River [dir. Haroula Rose, 2019]. She was part of the inaugural class of the Chicago Independent Producers Lab through the Chicago Film Office, DCASE, and Full Spectrum Features. She was recognized by NewCity as one of Chicago's 2020 Film50 "Screen Gems."

Instagram: @dontworryshort

Funders: Seed & Spark

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

Slamdance/Salt Lake City/Park City - 1/25-1/26