Plot

When single mom Anna Russell, a ceramic artist, discovers that her son Stan, a star college athlete and academic star is unraveling, she must act quickly to avoid tragedy. In denial and further and further out of reach, Stan suddenly disappears. Anna must find him on a journey that highlights the importance of mental health, high stakes athletics vs. academic excellence and what it takes to be a loving and devoted parent. Coming Up For Air has recently won the grand prize for best feature at the Culver City Film Festival, the Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at the Care Awards in West Virginia, the Best Feature Film Award at India's Picasso Einstein Buddha Awards, the Platinum Award for Best Actress in a Drama (Deborah Staples) at the Best Actor Awards in St. Vincent, Italy and awards for best feature, best director (Robert Cicchini), best cast, best lead actor (Chase Yi), best lead actress, best editor (Gene Gamache) , and best cinematographer (Bruce Schermer) at the Detroit I See You Awards. Coming Up For Air is an official selection at fourteen festivals.—Roger Rapoport, producer

Anna Russell, a lauded young artist, won an impressive fellowship to Italy at the end of her American college studies. She appeared to be on her way to becoming a darling of the international art scene. Reality crashed into her dream world when Anna realized she was pregnant. Her lover, a fellow student, left town without a forwarding address before she had a chance to tell him he was on the way to fatherhood. Convinced she had missed her moment, Anna decided to return home to America where her son Stan was born.

Nineteen years later Anna Russell is privately struggling to adjust after Stan, now a nationally ranked 10 meter diver and Italian studies major, is away at college. She is left behind deeply in debt. As she begins a path of rediscovery, Anna becomes worried by the behavior of her son who is further and further out of reach. Because he is of age, she has no right to information about him or access to him, and must try to decipher if he is having a rough time learning life lessons or if he is in real trouble. What parent hasn't thought, "How worried should I be?"

Stan throws a meet, quits school, becomes homeless and takes refuge anonymously in his blog posting. Anna discovers he has stolen a gun from his grandfather. She must act swiftly to avoid tragedy.

Many documentary films on mental health tell families how to handle an unexpected crisis. Coming Up For Air shows what it's like to be the parent of a mentally child. By not passing judgment or offering unsolicited advice, this feature drama encourages audiences to come to their own conclusions about what it takes to be a devoted, loving parent.

This unique film shows the kind of teamwork it takes to successfully respond to mental health challenges. A perfect film for families about an imperfect family, Coming Up For Air is also an entertaining story that is both hopeful and inspiring.

Coming Up For Air has recently won the grand prize for best feature at the Culver City Film Festival, the Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at the Care Awards in West Virginia, the Best Feature Film Award at India's Picasso, Einstein Buddha Awards, the Platinum Award for Best Actress in a Drama (Deborah Staples) at the Best Actor Awards in St. Vincent India and awards for best feature, best director (Robert Cicchini), best cast, best lead actor (Chase Yi), best lead actress, best editor (Gene Gamache) , and best cinematographer (Bruce Schermer) at the Detroit I See You Awards.