Breaking The Silence

BBC (1 x 60mins)

Winner of RTS Nations & Regions Programme Award 2010


This documentary gets to the heart of suicide in Northern Ireland and examines the human debris of the family and friends left behind.

Breaking The Silence is a sensitive and powerful portrait of the trauma faced by families in the aftermath of suicide, and the journey towards coming to terms with this deep, personal tragedy.

Each story builds towards its awful yet inevitable conclusion and, by allowing interviewees the opportunity to talk through their own painful stories, the film also helps to prove that those left behind can ultimately travel the long road of healing.

The film challenges the audience to consider why such a potent stigma still surrounds suicide and mental health issues, and also looks at the important work being done by the Niamh Louise Foundation - which is made up of individuals who have been similarly affected - to prevent further deaths by suicide.