Tyson Mowarin’s documentary Keeping Hope, which follows Mark Coles Smith as he returns to the Kimberley to interrogate the region’s suicide statistics, will premiere on NITV and SBS On Demand September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day.
The Kimberley region in Australia’s far northwest has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, with the vast majority being young Indigenous men.
This is a subject close to Coles Smith’s heart – his best friend took his own life when they were in their 20s.
On his journey, Coles Smith travels across the Kimberley to some of the areas experiencing the highest suicide rates and speaks with professionals, community leaders and his own family to explore what’s being done in communities, and what is still needed. He also faces up to his own loss and questions how others can learn from it.
Darren Hutchinson of Joined Up Films is the producer of Keeping Hope, which is backed by Screen Australia, Screenwest and Lotterywest. The cinematographer is Torstein Dyrting and editor Chris Trappe.
Keeping Hope will premiere at September 10 at 8.40pm on NITV and SBS On Demand and on SBS on Wednesday September 13 at 8.30pm.
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