An Albury-based film about suicide has sold out at The Border Mail International Film Festival and will premiere in New York and Chicago next month.
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By popular demand, encore screenings of the documentary Solstice have been added to the schedule at Regent Cinemas this weekend - Saturday, September 17 at 1.15pm and Sunday, September 18 at 11am.
Film-maker Helen Newman said she was elated - and relieved - the feature-length documentary was clearly resonating with audiences.
Indeed, she agreed, it would be hard to imagine a decade ago that a local film about suicide would be a sell-out at a film festival.
"This represents 10 years of work through the annual Albury-Wodonga Winter Solstice, which has changed the conversations this community has about suicide and mental health," Newman said.
At its heart is the story of Mary's parents' (Annette and Stuart Baker) relentless journey to "shine a light on the darkest night of their lives", which has included the creation of the annual Albury-Wodonga Winter Solstice for Survivors of Suicide & Friends.
Newman said making this documentary was the natural progression of an "incredible story" that needed to be shared.
"When you consider what Annette and Stuart (Baker) chose to do in the climate 10 years ago and the (Border Mail) Walkley Award-winning campaign ... it was a series of bold steps taken by this community," she said.
The Border community continues to embrace this cause as its own with two sell-out screenings of Solstice during the film festival on the back of its premiere at Albury in June this year.
Sunday's Q&A panel of Stuart Baker, Professor Patrick McGorry, Layne Stretton and Newman led by Albury mayor Kylie King was "a highlight" for Newman.
Renowned mental health expert Professor McGorry has described the film as "brilliant" and decreed it should be "compulsory viewing for all Australians" - particularly politicians and the media.
Newman said she was honoured to learn Professor McGorry intended to host a screening of the film at youth mental health organisation Orygen, where he is executive director.
This tender film is also creating ripple effects beyond the Border with official selections for three major film festivals - at Chicago and New York in the US and the Canberra International Mental Health Film Festival.
Mr Baker said the success of Solstice was "testament to this community".
"It is reassuring that through the entirety of the Solstice journey the community has supported and empowered us in trying to achieve a better deal for those impacted by mental health," he said.
"It's become a mainstream conversation - and that's gratifying.
"For me it also gives meaning to Mary's legacy and goes somewhat to making her loss more bearable."
