A short film about mental health that was shot in Sheringham has been released online.
After The Sea was written and directed by Tom Leatherbarrow, while his brother Jamie, a mental health support worker, produced it.
The director said: “I have deep connections with Norfolk - my parents lived there for a period, and after my friend Sam died I spent a lot of time on Sheringham seafront while working at the Cley NWT visitor’s centre - which is how the film was born.”
It was due to be screened at Sheringham Little Theatre on Friday, May 1 with former North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb in attendance, followed by a Q&A, but it was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Instead, they hosted a Zoom conversation with Mr Lamb, which will be released shortly.
Mr Leatherbarrow added: “The Sheringham screening was intended as a thank you to the local businesses and families that supported and helped us enormously during the filming process.
“We have also been conscious throughout our mental health campaigns to draw attention to rural and under-represented communities, as they are often hard-hit by mental illness, but without the resources or national attention to combat it.
“The film has now been released online, free for all, and we would love as many people in Norfolk to see it. We think it was particularly necessary to release at this time, when people’s mental health may be affected by lockdown, or people may be grieving in difficult conditions.”
The film, which was shot in 2017, is inspired by real-life events and provides a brief window into the devastation caused by losing a loved one to suicide, and hopes to contribute towards the ongoing public discussion on mental health.
The film premiered at Raindance Film Festival in Piccadilly Circus, London, and went on to screen at the BFI Southbank, as well as some other smaller festivals. It was also used to spearhead a series of workshops with the Cruse Bereavement Care charity, and screened at Samaritans’ events and inside the prison service at HMP Albany on the Isle Of Wight.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here