What Remains

WHAT REMAINS - Let the Memory Stay Sweet on the Vine

A film by Geoff Brokate and Verd de Gris Arts screened as part of the Love Arts Festival.

After the death of her husband by suicide Gillian Brooks tried to make sense of the events and preserve memories for her children. So she wrote it down as a story. Now her words have inspired a film made by Gillian and her family with the help of award-winning filmmaker Geoff Brokate.

The film has been created to articulate many of the issues and concerns of individuals and families affected by suicide. At recent screening in Calderdale we were pleased to welcome local families, mental health professionals, bereavement counsellors, emergency service workers, and senior commissioners in public health. Our aim is to develop a creative workshop package to provide family members with the time and space for quiet reflection and shared conversation in a bid to understand more about the emotional legacy of suicide bereavement and what can be done to break down the stigma families often live with as part of its legacy.

“Absolutely stunning! Gillian and her children are amazing …” Suicide Bereaved Network

“I know this resource would have been very beneficial for myself and my aloneness and alienation from others. Such a group could have made a significant difference to my own life. I could have processed and understood my own guilt and mixed feelings and perhaps moved forward many years sooner as a result. I feel there is a fundamental need for such support when suicide is so prolific.”
Gillian Brooks

The screening will be accompanied by time for reflection and discussion with a q&a