A few years ago, writer Rufus Love was working at a theater and chatting with a colleague. The man told him that he used to be an officer at the university, but had to resign from his position after discovering this situation on more than one occasion. Students in their rooms who died suicide. The pain and trauma were too much to stay in business. “He said to me, ‘I should be the one knocking on doors that haven’t been opened in a while,'” Love said. Independent.

This story inspired Contact HoursA searing short film written by Love and directed by Harry Richards. The movie stars Kris Hitchen (as seen) Ken Loach I’m sorry we missed you) as a carer and as the son of model-turned-actor George Osborne. The psychological drama follows, with calm strength, the caretaker who discovers a student who has taken his own life in his room. At the end of the break, she finds herself confronting her own silently struggling son and reevaluating her relationship.

Love and Richards know six young people from their cohort at Edinburgh University who died by suicide. “We both have friends all over the country who are either mourning their loss or thanking their lucky stars for their narrow escape,” Love said, “so it feels like a really important time to tell this story.”

The statistics are very clear. One in five people will suffer from suicidal thoughts in their lifetime. The suicide also affected the production of the film: “Many of our cast and crew have been sadly affected by suicide,” said Richards, “and while we were in post-production on the film, one of our very close friends and crew members lost someone they knew to suicide. “This reminded us of the urgency of making this movie as quickly as possible and reaching as many people as possible.”

For love, period Contact Hours is to try to “eliminate the stigma, eliminate the shame” by normalizing these feelings.

“This says that having these thoughts does not make you a bad person and does not make you at fault in any way,” he said. “This is incredibly common and something that can be worked on, and the way to get past it is to get it off your chest and let other people see your pain.”

It is also important that the film has its own perspective and that it is from the person who discovers the student. “We wanted to give a sense of how brave these people were and how difficult the fall could be,” Love said. We wanted to shed light on this issue to thank them for their work and help them get through any emotional impact they may have.

“Where possible, we want to spark that conversation so that universities, colleges, and other institutions can put their best foot forward in terms of prevention as well as post-response response, making sure that those first responders, nearby students, and the university culture as a whole are doing that. Respond in the best way possible to keep people safe. around “Suicide is a movie and it’s very important to us.”

Contact Hours It had its first exclusive preview in London this week, and more events will be held in the coming months. “Next year we will take the film to universities,” Richards said. They plan to screen the film with live Q&As to spark lifesaving conversations between students, parents and universities.

“We hope people leave feeling hopeful,” Love said, adding that they unexpectedly found the research process and interviews with people affected by suicide and front-line professionals to be “life-affirming and joyful.”

“Of course it’s hard, but in places where people share their own struggles, the struggles of their friends or family, everyone to be We leave feeling warm, full, and with a renewed sense of gratitude for the sanctity of life.”

Learn more about Contact Hours Here.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress or struggling to cope, you can speak to Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected] or visit . Samaritans Website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are a U.S. resident and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis helpline available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country you can go www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you.