Barrie girl creates film to raise awareness about ADHD

Arianna Goarley, a 16-year-old from Barrie, is using her creativity to raise awareness about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The teenager produced, directed, and wrote a short film titled 'The Tea Party,' which recreates the famous tea party scene from Alice in Wonderland.

The film is an educational experience, as each character portrays a characteristic of ADHD.

Goarley, who was diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago, has done extensive research to understand the disorder.

"I picked out things not only from my own life but from what I see in articles, and that was a really good way for me to understand more about myself," she said.

"Boys are often diagnosed when they're five or six in kindergarten or any point in elementary school, and it's loud and moving around and stuff. But in girls, it's more that they're in their own head, and they space out, which isn't as obvious as a problem to people," Goarley noted.

'The Tea Party' is a film created by a Barrie, Ont. high school student's battle with ADHD. (Supplied)

The cast and crew of the film include people who deal with ADHD daily, making the story feel as authentic as possible.

"I have ADHD, and I know how it feels to get distracted by everything and not really know what's going on 100 per cent of the time," said The Tea Party actress Anna Goldsmith.

The film has been a life-changing experience for Goarley, and she hopes that it will help others better understand the struggles of ADHD.

"If people are squirming around in their seats or not paying attention or scribbling on their page, it's not because they're being disrespectful or they're antsy. There's lots of layers into why that happens," the young director said.

The Grade 11 student who plans to study creative industries at university has created three short films during her high school years and said while this film focused on the struggles associated with ADHD, she would like her next one to be about the positives.