Writer/Director John Michael Williams never could have believed he would film a documentary on the contagious virus of suicide. Known for his poignant documentary, The Gloucester 18, about teenage girls in Gloucester, Mass. who made a pact to get pregnant, Williams now takes an even more difficult challenge by investigating the world of suicide in his documentary Bridgend.
In the small Welsh town of Bridgend, which is about two hours north of London, over the past five years, more than 99 young people have been found hanged. Each was found hanging by phone cords or ropes from playground slides or the back of a closet door. No notes were left. While many of the town’s residents believe there is a serial killer disguising the deaths, others believe it’s a suicide pact.
When Williams visited the town and stayed for a month to investigate the story, he was bullied and threatened. The police and government officials refused to be interviewed or even provide a statement or confirm the number of deaths. Throughout the film, we meet 19-year-old Justin Beecham, who provided much of the insight into the town’s tragedies. While he reiterated many times that he would never hang himself, shortly after Williams left Bridgend, Justin Beecham was found hanged. We also get to know Michelle, who has endured unspeakable tragedy when six of the closest people in her life were found hanged (her daughter, husband, cousin, nephew, student, and close friend) all over the course of a year.
“The concept of suicide is shocking, but I think it was an important story to tell, especially since the people of Bridgend want people to stop murdering themselves,” Williams said. “Throughout my research, I learned that the number two cause of death in 10 to 12 year olds is suicide. I absolutely believe suicide is contagious. If someone close to you saw suicide as a solution, it can be contagious in a way. If you have a parent, sibling, child or spouse who has committed suicide, statistics say there is more than a 50 percent chance that is the way you will die. We can’t face when someone we love commits suicide. There is tremendous guilt left, but no one wants to talk about it.”
Through interviews with family members and friends of the victims, Bridgend reveals the unimaginable number of lives lost in this tragic town. One boy laid out his suit to attend his friend’s funeral, and hours later walked to a tree next to the one where the friend had died and hanged himself. Another girl was found hanging in a bathroom just hours after hearing of the suicide of her younger cousin. A young man, having attended several of his friends’ funerals, ended his life in a children’s park after arriving home from a night at the pub. Within weeks, two of his ex-girlfriends were also dead by the same method. While the stories leading up to the tragic deaths are varied, they end all of the same way.
Williams hopes his film will bring some attention to the tragedy of suicide and give those suffering from depression an opportunity to get help. “It’s OK if you go to a doctor if your leg is broken but if your heart is broken, there is such a stigma that comes with it. Suicide has to stop. Life is a gift. Nothing is worth killing ourselves over.”
Bridgend is available on iTunes, Amazon, Vudu and Netflix now.
For more information, visit www.bridgendthemovie.com.
