Denise Welch has has exclusively shared her short film about depression, ‘Black Eyed Susan’, with HuffPost UK.
The deeply personal film, which the actress stars in and also co-produced, has been released to a wider audience, after having already won critical acclaim at various film festivals on both sides of the pond.
‘Black Eyed Susan’ is a 15-minute psychological drama that tells the story of a woman trapped in her home by a teenage boy, who is intent on driving her to suicide.
It acts as a portrayal of Denise’s own experience with depression, and is the latest way the former ‘Loose Women’ panellist is helping to break down stigma around mental health issues.
The film also stars her youngest son, Louis Healy, as a hooded teen who acts as a physical embodiment of her depression, and we see Denise’s character battle with his presence in her life.
Explaining her decision to turn film-maker, Denise said: “I felt I’d never seen an episode of severe depression portrayed as I experience it within a drama.
“A short film provided a great platform to demonstrate the speed at which depression can descend, the crippling effects and the return of the light with recovery.
“Myself and co-producer Suzy Mottram assembled a stellar crew who worked at vastly reduced rates because of their passion for the script and either their experience of the subject matter or a desire to learn more about this isolating illness: clinical depression.”
You can read HuffPost UK’s full interview with Denise about ‘Black Eyed Susan’ here.
Watch the film in full above, and check out the behind-the-scenes video from filming below...
Useful websites and helplines:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
- Get Connected is a free advice service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@getconnected.org.uk