There will be a special screening of my documentary: The Quiet Shuffling of Feet Thursday 8th of September in Newcastle Community Cinema, Main Street, BT33 0AD. Doors open at 7.15 pm with the screening at 7.45 pm. It will then be followed by a Q & A with David Bolton, the film's subject, and myself as Producer-Director.
This is one of several events organized by local charity Suicide Down to Zero as part of the Hope Through Action Festival in the run-up to World Suicide Prevention Day. The Castlewellan Inter-Churches Forum is also sponsoring the film screening. Tickets are now available online at: newcastlecinema.org There is a capacity of 150 people so book early to avoid disappointment. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the prevention work of SDZ.
“It is by any measurement a powerful film which has a sorrow to it but also a softness or sense of inner gentleness.”
The Irish News
David Bolton oversaw the post-trauma recovery for survivors and relatives of the dead and injured of the Enniskillen and Omagh bombings. He went on to lead the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation and is a recognized authority on postvention and recovery. In retirement David authored the academic book: Conflict, Peace and Mental Health – Addressing the consequences of conflict and trauma in Northern Ireland. Manchester University Press published the book in 2017.
The film was produced and directed by Fergus Cooper who lives in Co. Down. It took almost 2 years to research, film, and edit. It premiered at the Fermanagh Live Arts Festival in October 2019 and was critically well received by the press.
“ . . a very personal film, the remarkable story of a humanitarian faced with unbearable trauma.”
The Newsletter
“The film is a different way of reminding people not to be complacent about the peace process, that there is a huge legacy issue here and that this will go on for generations.”
The Irish Times
“An important film, with many important and powerful messages about the traumatic experiences of conflict, featuring one man’s dignified role in supporting many of those affected.”
The Impartial Reporter
Writing in the Impartial Reporter Denzil McDaniel noted,
“Research carried out on behalf of the Commission for Victims and Survivors in 2010 estimates 500,000 people in NI had been affected by Troubles violence through bereavement, injury (mental and physical), and caring for someone directly affected. Other robust data between 2008 and 2015 says four out of 10 adults had at least one major traumatic Troubles-related experience and the mental health difficulties of at least 213,000 people are directly linked to the Troubles.
The human impact has been immense. Remarkably, the trauma transfers to generations born after the Troubles ended, and we live in a place where more people have lost their lives through suicide since the conflict ended than died in the violence.”
Comments