AAAD and The Movie House are proud to come together to create a short narrative film that highlights the stress and anxiety that athletes face prior to competition. The film, titled ‘WORST ENEMY,’ is a psychological thriller and the story revolves around an elite female swimmer who encounters a manifestation of her own demons the night before her championship meet. Our protagonist must contend with the internal and external forces plaguing her psyche before her competition in order to survive the night.

We are strong believers in the power of film and storytelling to invoke tangible change in society. With that being said, the goal of this project is to destigmatize mental health struggles in athletes and open up the conversation around the topic. Whether through bringing attention to the tremendous resources offered at AAAD or simply by fostering a sense of solidarity and community amongst athletes struggling with their mental health, we are confident that this film will play a powerful role in realizing meaningful change in the mental health space for athletes.

With a world class team both in front of and behind the camera - including Olympic swimmer and PAC 10 champion turned model and actress, Anicka Delgado, in the lead role - WORST ENEMY is a quality production made by leaders in the film industry. Helmed by writer/director/producer Nick Waters, this film will feature a cinematic visual style that offers a nuanced way into the topic of mental health. Nick’s recent credits include Writer and Executive Producer on last year’s horror feature film MARGAUX for Paramount Pictures and Director and Producer on the award-winning documentary on the war in Ukraine, WHEN WE DANCE. As a former competitive swimmer himself, Nick is drawn to tell this story to shed light on the prevalence and severity of anxiety and mental health issues that athletes face daily both at practices and in competition. Nick competed at the USA Olympic Trials, was a member of the Stanford University varsity team, a member of the NSCI Junior National Team, and broke numerous Florida and National age group records. Nick knows firsthand how important it is for athletes to check in with themselves regularly to ensure their mental health is in as good of shape as their physical health.

All facets of pre-production have been completed at this point and we are excited to start shooting as soon as we raise the money to complete the budget.

• We plan to raise funds by July 1 and begin shooting in August 2023.
• If you or your company are interested in supporting this project with a matching donation or corporate sponsorship, please email: [email protected]
• If you have additional questions or interest in seeing this film and want to help financially or with distribution, please email: [email protected]

Thank you so much in advance for your support. We could not be more excited to create this film that will meaningfully change the narrative around mental health!