A documentary created to encourage shame-free discussion about suicide and mental health will have its television premiere this month before being made available as a teaching aid in Australia and overseas.
Solstice was written, directed and produced by Albury filmmaker Helen Newman, who was approached by local Annette Baker about documenting the town's annual Winter Solstice event.
The event brings community members together to remember loved ones who took their own lives with the aim of bringing the topic into the public forum without shame or stigma.
Ms Baker, and husband Stuart, have been holding the event since 2013 after launching the Survivors of Suicide and Friends organisation in response to the death of their daughter, Mary, who took her own life at the age of 15 in 2011.
Ms Newman said the documentary featured interviews with those affected by suicide from across Australia, including the Bakers.
"It's about survivors of suicide, and central to that story is the story of Annette and Stuart," she said.
She said the film was a "grassroots voice" raised to unite, challenge and change how people responded to mental health issues.
As well as interviews with survivors of suicide, Ms Newman said the documentary featured mental health commentators and advocates for greater investment and support for people with a mental illness.
This included University of Melbourne Professor of Youth Mental Health Patrick McGorry and British psychiatrist Sir Graham Thornicroft from the Centre for Global Mental Health.
Ms Baker has previously told the ABC that the Survivors of Suicide group and Winter Solstice came out of a need to support locals who had lost a loved one to suicide and to remove the stigma associated with it.
"The year after Mary died, I couldn't do anything," she said.
"There was nowhere for us to go to to acknowledge people who are left behind by suicide.
An education aid
Peter Tapp is the managing editor for the not-for-profit charity Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM).
He was keen to have the documentary on its education website because it dealt "with the difficult issues of suicide and mental health".
Mr Tapp said the study guide could be downloaded from ATOM's The Education Shop with access to the film via streaming available from mid-June.
He said the Solstice study guide included before questions, viewing questions and reflection, as well as post-viewing activities, cast details and links for educators.
"Teachers can see how content is related to the curriculum they are mandated to teach," Mr Tapp said.
He said the study guide would prompt students to think through the issues raised in the documentary.
Ms Newman said two versions of the documentary had been produced — a half-hour version for educators that will be premiered on ABC TV, and a feature-length documentary for festivals and cinemas.
Solstice has its television premiere on ABC TV Plus and ABC iview on June 19 at 7:30pm, and will be screened on the ABC's Compass on June 26 at 6:30pm.
Its cinematic premiere took place in Albury on Sunday.
