‘Solo’ tackles our mental tribulations amid COVID-19

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Almost a year ago in the wee hours of the night, I received a message from Prof. Kevin Piamonte who expressed his anxiety over a common friend who tested positive for COVID-19.

His angst was so palpable at the get-go: “This is probably how I will die.” He fretted mostly about our friend and the condition of the hospital where he was quarantined.

I asked Prof. Piamonte if he is willing to share his story to Daily Guardian, with focus on the mental health impact of COVID-19 not just on the patients but their loved ones as well.

Little did I know that our discussion that fateful night would become the subject of his latest short film dubbed “Solo.”

“Solo” is the story of Ron (Peter D. Deocos) who battles COVID-19 and the consequent mental deterioration. Just like other victims of the pandemic, he loses his sense of self, including his name, as they are all reduced to mere case numbers.

Dazed and all, Ron searches for Jim (Marveen Ely Lozano), “the one person who knows him very well, the one person whom he used to dance with, hoping that he will get back his identity before he disappears forever.”

While they shared affection for the Terpsichorean art and to each other, their paths diverged as the pandemic continued its onslaught.

Restrained by quarantine protocols, Ron dreamt of dancing once more even as Jim kept himself busy in the corporate world.

Jim does try to help Ron cope with his situation, but the latter is implacable, always dreaming of returning to normalcy.

“Solo” pares away the confusion and dilemma we are facing as we battle COVID in a see-saw manner. The surge in cases a year after the pandemic erupted has taken toll not just on the economy but our personal sanity as well.

In a world that is hard wired by technology, the internet, and our gadgets, we are eventually left to our elements when humanity is beset by crises like COVID-19. We hear news of loved ones and friends dying every day. The sheer number of the suffering is staggering and jars the senses to no end.

“Solo” uses the art of dance to depict the paradox of our loneliness in a world that is bursting to its seams and ever awake in a maze of wires and gadgetry. It also gives rise to the question of priorities, particularly the struggle to keep body and soul together.

It also places the spotlight on mental health and the heavy burden of a mind addled with hopelessness and uncertainty. Mental health issues afflict almost everyone, and the numbers are staggering as mental illnesses affect 19% of the adult population, 46% of teenagers and 13% of children each year. It certainly got worse with COVID.

Reuters cited one study published earlier this month in The Lancet Psychiatry, which reviewed previously reported data on nearly 1.5 million COVID-19 patients.

The risk of death was roughly 75% higher in patients with substance use disorders or intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders, and it was roughly doubled in those with psychotic or mood disorders.

COVID-19 mortality risk was also linked with use of certain medications, such as antipsychotics, anxiety drugs, and antidepressants.

The other study published in JAMA Psychiatry, analyzed data on more than 19,000 patients and found similar patterns.

To borrow the words of Prof. Piamonte, “Solo makes us realize that in the end we might just end up dancing alone regardless of what we believe in because we came to this world alone and so we leave it, once again, alone.”

Indeed, “Solo” underscores the complexity of mental health – it afflicts thousands but most of us must deal with alone.

The energy of the actors and the elements of courage and determination to fight both outer and inner tribulations make “Solo” a poignant conversation axis as we tackle the tangible and intangible effects of the pandemic.

The tragedy of Ron and Jim serves as a lesson that in moments of crisis that keep us apart, we should keep ourselves open to each other and provide support beyond wishful hoping and materialism.

“Solo” is written and directed by Prof. Kevin P. Piamonte and produced by UP Visayas, ERK Production, and Taytay Productions.