We’re sure there are a lot of great films at Indiefest, but we screened one of the best on Wednesday night at the Roxie - The Substance of Things Hoped For.

Daphne Lessing, played by Vanessa Lengies, faces a daunting choice after she’s diagnosed with a rare form of schizophrenia, and an unplanned pregnancy that implicitly resulted from one of her ever-increasing “episodes.” The film follows Daphne in her quest to uncover the likelihood that she will pass the condition on to her unborn child - a search that leads Daphne to connect with her estranged father, played by Ray Wise.

The spiritual film raises many questions about faith, mental illness, the medical profession’s treatment and understanding of the mentally ill, and about our ability to connect not only with other people, but our environment as well. Daphne’s story is told interspersed with a series of flashbacks and hallucinations, and highlights the difficulty faced by many of us in determining what is in fact reality.

Director Greg Morgan shared some thoughts post-film Wednesday night, and emphasized that there is no straightforward answer regarding what was intended to be reality in the film. The answer to that question, he said, is left to the viewer. We agree with Morgan that this film will appeal especially to those who choose to "believe in believing."

The film screens again tonight at the Victoria Theater at 9:30 p.m.

SFist Wendy, contributing.

Lose Your Child or Lose Your Mind.