Short film Contact Hours follows a caretaker at a university halls whose life is changed when he discovers the body of a student that has died by suicide.
The moving 25 minute film, is centred on the fallout from the suicide, but the dynamic between the caretaker, played by Kris Hitchen, and his son (George Osborne) is the emotional heart of the short.
A quiet bar shift in a theatre wasn’t where writer Rufus Love expected to find inspiration for a script, but then he started speaking to a maintenance man.
He explained to Love that he’d previously been a university caretaker for over a decade, but had quit because on two separate occasions he had discovered the body of student who had died by suicide.
“I ended up chatting to him for about an hour,” said Love. “He spoke to me about all those feelings, of walking down the corridor and not knowing what you’re going to find. And I’d never really seen that perspective before.”
Unfortunately, Love and the maintenance man have not crossed paths since the films release. “I never spoke to him again, which is such a shame. Maybe he’ll see it.”
Contact Hours premiered last year and is currently on tour around different UK university cities to try and get the film seen by as many students and staff in higher education as possible.
Talking about, or depicting suicide can be difficult. Love and Richards spoke to charities, those bereaved by suicide, and first responders to ensure the film depicts the gravity of the subject on screen.
Love said: “We wanted to speak to people whose lives had been turned upside down by suicide to really make sure we were understanding the responsibility of trying to make something like this.”
The audience never meets or learns many details about the student that dies in the film. All we know is that he occupies room 319. This was a deliberate decision by the creators.
“As soon as you put any struggles or factors that can lead up to a person’s suicide, someone else can say ‘Well, I guess, thats not about me.’ We wanted to leave it obscure.
“I hope that the person in 319 can stand for everyone who has been lost to suicide at University,” said Love.
The film is being screened by the University of Salford in Media city on May 15. Students and staff at Manchester universities can register to attend here.
When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at [email protected], or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
Featured image credit: Headrush Films Ltd.
Join the discussion