A documentary exploring a family’s journey through navigating suicide bereavement

Evelyn is a documentary that was released in 2018, directed by Orlando Von Einsiedel. The premise of the film revolves around Orlando’s family and how they dealt with and attempt to cope with the devastating loss after the suicide of his younger brother Evelyn, 13 years earlier. 

Evelyn suffered with schizophrenia during the last few years of his life and battled with his diagnosis until he sadly took his life at the age of 20. The film follows the Von Einsiedel family as they walk the length of the UK through beautiful parts of the British countryside that Evelyn used to visit, while they try to discuss their loss, which is something they have all been unable to do until then.

The film, which is available to watch on Netflix, is a difficult yet deeply honest watch that discusses themes of blame, guilt, and regret; emotions that are felt so often amongst those who are bereaved by suicide. Whilst the family members have such a close and loving bond, they found that they had been unable to talk openly about Evelyn’s loss for over a decade. Along their journey, each family member slowly begins to open up and piece together their lost memories of Evelyn through an emotional yet brave process of reflection. This film brilliantly portrays the complexities of grief, and how it can manifest so differently among individuals; even those who are so closely related can deal with the death of a loved one in completely unique ways. 

We would recommend watching Evelyn if you are personally bereaved by suicide and you are looking to seek comfort in the stories of others. On their journey across the UK, the family meet various strangers who exchange stories and personal details, and it becomes clear that a few of those strangers have lost loved ones to suicide too. This film therefore normalises many of the feelings associated with suicide loss and shows us that we are never alone in our grief.