THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND

An anxious generation searches for happiness
A feature documentary based on The New York Times bestselling book by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

a Korchula Productions Film
produced by Courtney Moorehead Balaker
directed by Ted Balaker

Synopsis

In 2012, anxiety, depression, and suicide rates among young adults began to rise dramatically, and nobody knew why.

THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND, based on The New York Times bestselling book by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, explores the Gen Z mental health crisis through the intertwined stories of five remarkable 20-somethings, including Kimi, a Ugandan immigrant, and Lucy, a former psych ward patient struggling with various mental health challenges. As they enter college, their bright futures are soon overshadowed by fear and despair.

They’re full of promise as they enter college, but the teens quickly succumb to paranoia and misery. Lucy is convinced people want to kill her simply because she’s autistic. Kimi is on the brink of homelessness.

From filmmakers Ted Balaker and Courtney Moorehead Balaker (LITTLE PINK HOUSE, CAN WE TAKE A JOKE?), THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND explores a global mental-health crisis that threatens an entire generation.

The film is in the midst of a global university tour that has included special screenings at more than 70 locations including Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, CU Boulder, Pepperdine, UCLA, Wake Forest, the University of Virginia, the University of Toronto, and Duke.

The film is now available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, and Substack.

Filmmaker Bios

Ted Balaker
Director, THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND

Ted is an award-winning filmmaker, former think tank scholar, and network news producer. He co-founded Korchula Productions, a film production company devoted to making important ideas entertaining.

Ted is the director of THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND, a feature documentary about the Gen Z mental health crisis based on the New York Times bestselling book by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt.

It’s the first “Substack presents” feature film and is in the midst of a global university tour that has hit dozens of locations, including Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, UCLA, the University of Toronto, and Duke. Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker calls the film “excellent,” and Matt Gore at FILM THREAT says it’s, “Great, important, and eye opening.”

Ted directed the documentary CAN WE TAKE A JOKE?, which was lauded by outlets such as The Los Angeles Times and The Hollywood Reporter. He produced the feature film LITTLE PINK HOUSE starring two-time Oscar nominee Catherine Keener, which earned praise from The Hollywood Reporter, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Variety, among others.

Ted is set to produce a feature narrative based on TROUBLED, Robert Kim Henderson’s bestselling memoir about his inspiring journey from foster care kid to Yale University graduate. Ted is an executive producer on HONOR FLIGHT, which set the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest film screening.

Ted started his career at ABC Network News producing hour-long specials. He then served as a policy analyst at Reason Foundation before co-founding Reason TV and the Drew Carey Project.

Ted has co-authored one book and has authored or co-authored eleven studies. His written work has appeared in many outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and USA TODAY.



Courtney Moorehead Balaker
Producer, THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND

Courtney is an award-winning filmmaker, professor of acting, and co-founder of Korchula Productions, a film production company devoted to making important ideas entertaining.

Courtney is set to direct the feature adaptation of TROUBLED, the bestselling memoir that tells the story of Robert Kim Henderson who made the improbable journey from foster care kid to Yale University graduate.

Courtney wrote and directed LITTLE PINK HOUSE, which stars two-time Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener as Susette Kelo, the blue-collar woman whose fight to save her home and neighborhood went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The film was lauded by the likes of The Hollywood Reporter, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Variety. It was the first film since Steven Spielberg's Lincoln to be honored with a bipartisan congressional screening.

Courtney’s feature documentary credits include CAN WE TAKE A JOKE?, THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND, and AMERICA IN PRIMETIME, a four-hour PBS series.

She spent five years in New York City directing Off-Broadway theater. Her credits include the New York revival of Austin Pendleton's UNCLE BOB starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The production was praised by The New York Times, The New York Daily News, and The New York Post, which called it “a wonderful experience energized by powerful performances and taut direction.”

Courtney earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado (Denver) and a master's in theater directing from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.  

THE CODDLING OF THE AMERICAN MIND

FILM Subjects

(Listed In Order of Appearance) 

Kimi Katiti

Interdisciplinary artist living in Los Angeles 

Lucy Kross Wallace

Recent graduate of Stanford University

Saeed Malami

Software engineer living in New York

Greg Lukianoff 

President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)

Anthony Rodriguez

Associate Professor of Education, Providence College

Jonathan Haidt

Professor of Psychology, New York University

Anna Sabo

Special ed teacher living in New York

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