On Sunday, February 23, 2015, people around the world celebrated film-making by watching the 2015 Academy Awards Show. Whether you are a fan of the Oscar’s or not, many celebrities use their fame and the world spotlight to draw attention to a cause. Last night was no different. Several causes were mentioned but none more weighty than that of suicide.
Dana Berry, filmmaker of the short documentary Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, used her moment to let it be known that her award was dedicated to her son, Ethan, who passed away due to suicide. Ms. Berry concluded her remarks with, “We need to talk about suicide out loud.” We couldn’t agree more.
That wasn’t the only reference to suicide in the broadcast either. Later in the evening Graham Moore, Academy Award winner for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Imitation Game, shared that he personally had attempted suicide in his youth. He characterized the act as a plea for tolerance. Excerpt below:
“I tried to commit suicide at 16 and now I’m standing here,” he said. “I would like for this moment to be for that kid out there who feels like she doesn’t fit in anywhere. You do. Stay weird. Stay different, and then when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage please pass the same message along.”
Whatever the reason for people’s struggle, we must be willing to discuss it out loud, as Ms. Berry stated. By doing so, maybe then we can provide enough relief to stem this widespread occurrence.
Read the recap of the Oscar’s.
Need help? In East Texas, you can call the Burke 24 hour Crisis Hotline, 800-392-8343. Or for national support, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
