Moving Film for Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide Captures Heartbreak of a Mourning Family

Brother Film have teamed up with director James Arden and the charity Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) to create their new campaign film ’The Ripple Effect’. The spot offers a heart-breaking glimpse into the life of a family mourning the death of a beloved daughter and sister, after she has taken her own life. 

The film’s aim is to spread awareness of the support services offered by SoBS to all adults impacted by suicide loss across the UK. The key message is that ‘together we can help’: all of the resources, specialised support groups and bereavement retreats provided by SoBS endeavour to address the inevitable isolation brought about in the wake of suicide, encouraging survivors to share their experiences with others similarly affected. 

‘The Ripple Effect’ was a very personal project for many involved in its making. The film was directed by award-winning writer/director James Arden, who lost his own half-sister to suicide in late 2019. He reflects upon what first inspired him to write the film’s script:

“Aside from experiencing my own grief, seeing how her tragedy affected not only her family but her many friends was particularly painful to watch - like a ripple effect impacting everyone in its wake. I know some of my family members and sister’s friends would have benefitted from the type of support offered by Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, so ultimately I wanted to create a film that raised awareness and helped others not to suffer alone.

James wanted to make a film that would bring to light the overwhelming and enduring impact every suicide has on those left behind, and ended up getting in touch with the charity himself to initially pitch his idea: 

“We begin by giving the audience the impression of a mother and father helping their teenage daughter pack - perhaps for university, perhaps moving out. However - as items suggesting an absent presence are felt subtly throughout: a lone pair of shoes, an empty car seat - we soon realise the daughter is actually helping her parents pack away the belongings of her sister, who they have all lost to suicide.”

Early on in the project, he discovered just how widespread this matter really is, and found he was certainly not alone in his personal affiliation with the project:

“As this project came together, some of my cast and crew let me know they’d also lost friends and family members to suicide; it touches so many more lives than we realise. The emotional, social and financial impacts are long-lasting and wide-reaching: it is a major public health issue.”

The hope is that 'The Ripple Effect' will resonate with viewers similarly affected by suicide and encourage them to seek support from SoBS and access the many amazing services they have on offer. 

‘The Ripple Effect’ was shot across a single day in late October 2022, at a lake and a beautiful Edwardian house (mentioned in Virgina Woolf’s diaries!) both located in the London suburbs. Of the location, James says:

‘We were searching for a location that could not only sell a characterful family home, but somewhere that architecturally worked for our key reveal shot - the long pan from the bedroom being boxed up, across the hall, to the sister’s bedroom. I wanted to portray this idea of the two sisters having their bedrooms opposite each other, to better convey the absence and loss that begins to permeate the film in subtle ways. When we recced this house, I knew it was the one.

We also needed to find a lake nearby to the house - somewhere beautiful where you might scatter some ashes -  where sunrise could dummy for our sunset finale. We settled on Ruislip Lido and really lucked out with a beautiful, wintery sunrise on the day, despite all weather reports pointing to heavy rain.’

The film launches on the SoBS website and their online platforms on Wednesday 8th February.