Suicide is almost a taboo subject at universities, did you have any apprehensions about not just bringing Contact Hours to campus but to start this long overdue conversation about suicide?

 

Rufus: Of course. During our research, we met so many generous and open-hearted people whose lives have been irreversibly changed by suicide. The responsibility we felt to them was huge. At our private launch screening, they were the first people we looked for. In terms of campuses, we have been conscientious about the possibility that this film could bring up difficult feelings for people and therefore have ensured that assistance from our charity partners or local wellbeing teams has always been on hand.

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And from these screenings and Q&As what more can be done to break this stigma?

 

Rufus: We are aware that we are a small part of a huge movement to try and destigmatise suicidal ideation and drive rates down. The more coverage that the compassionate people working for initiatives, charities and research groups can get in mainstream publications and programmes, the better.

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What was it about Rufus’ screenplay that connected with you as a filmmaker?

 

Harry: Rufus’ use of language is phenomenal. The descriptions in the screenplay were so rich and expressive that each scene really leapt off the page. It was concise, compelling, and made me want to keep reading. I had been thinking a lot about the four students I knew from my university who died by suicide, and the script made me reflect even more on this tragic issue. I knew that if the script alone was stirring up these feelings, then it had huge potential to become a very moving film and a powerful tool to start conversations.

 

After talking with the caretaker, when did you realise you wanted to write this short?

 

Rufus: The idea for Contact Hours came from a chance encounter while working at a bar. A man came in to do some maintenance, we got chatting, and he told me he used to be a university caretaker. He had resigned from his post because he couldn’t cope with all the student suffering. I thought this was a really unique and poignant perspective so I did some research and wrote a first draft.

 

During your research and development for Contact Hours, what were the most heart-wrenching statistics you discovered about suicide and how it impacts people who experience?

 

One UK student dies by suicide every four days. From personal connections and news stories, we knew that student suicide was prevalent, but that statistic is as astonishing as it is heartbreaking.

 

There is a stigma around mental health and suicide, particularly in universities — that rarely publicise suicide statistics — that continues to plague the discourse. What steps do you think institutions and communities can take to overcome this and finally work towards removing this stigma?

 

The first step to overcoming stigma is through understanding and empathy. From a community perspective, the importance of looking out for people and having open conversations about suicide cannot be overstated – it has been proven as a critical means of intervention by clinical psychologists.

 

In terms of institutions, although we did not set out to make a polemic, the film depicts some behaviour from universities, inspired by real stories, that people might consider failings. For instance, staff are often stretched too thinly to have personal relationships with all of the students and the film shows this pressure being exerted on the Caretaker. Also, when students signal that they need help, either by directly expressing that feeling or through more subtle indications, universities have often been inactive or impersonal in their responses. Our film begins with the Caretaker posting an expulsion letter to a student. This is of course not a safe or humane way for universities to deliver that news.

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How close did you stick to your screenplay once you started shooting?

 

Rufus: I was redrafting the screenplay right up to the day before we began shooting, trying to circumvent practical issues that arose on set. Once we began shooting, we were very faithful to the words on the page. However, there are some lingering shots of the corridor that proved crucial in the edit that we only got because our steadicam op. kept rolling!

"I have appreciated that not just filmmaking but writing itself is a collaborative endeavour."

- Rufus Love