Poignant Film Lends Help To Survivors Of Bereavement By Suicide

UK-based charity Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) has teamed up with Brother Film and director James Arden to produce a moving film depicting the devastating after-effects of losing a loved one, titled The Ripple Effect.

Hoping to spread awareness of the support services available to those impacted by similar losses throughout the country, the film offers a key message of “together we can help”—highlighting the various resources available to address the loneliness that can descend after such an incident.

In particular, the spot was a personal project for Arden, who lost his half-sister to suicide in 2019. Aside from his own grief, he was inspired by how her death affected her family and friends, leaving “a ripple effect impacting everyone in its wake.”

He hopes that through the film—which depicts a family that has lost a daughter to suicide—others will learn that help is available and that others do not have to suffer alone, bringing light to those left behind.

The team captured the scenes across just a single day, carefully selecting a home that would architecturally serve as a suitable backdrop for a sense of the loss to “permeate the film in subtle ways.”

“As this project came together, some of my cast and crew let me know they’d also lost friends and family to suicide; it touches so many more lives than we realize. The emotional, social, and financial impacts are long-lasting and wide-reaching,” Arden summed up.

If you or anyone you know is dealing with thoughts of suicide, please remember that help is always available. Affected individuals in the US can text “HOME” to 741741 or reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to talk to an expert. For international helplines and resources, please visit here.

[via LBB Online and Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, cover image via Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide]