“Grief: A Family Healing” Short Film

By Jeffrey Jay Orgill

In February 2009, after breaking up with my girlfriend and moving out of our home, my dad invited me to move in with him and I found myself living back in the house where I’d grown up. This was a bit troubling to me for many reasons– primarily the state of disrepair the house had fallen into and the story behind that. When I was asked to be on a “Men and Grief” panel at the American Association of Suicidology being held in San Francisco I decided to make a film on the subject which I would show at the conference.

My dad had suffered extreme grief from a family tragedy, my younger brother Brian’s suicide, and the house had become a stark reflection of his inner suffering. I’d made another short narrative film which focused on my mom’s experience soon after my brother’s death and now I was making a short documentary about my dad and youngest brother’s experience with grief.

My approach was to just start taping using a small Sony DV handicam. They soon got used to my constant shooting and interviewing. My dad and Jayson were both very open to talking on camera. These talks were actually the first time I’d discussed any of these emotions or events at length with either my dad or my brother. And they had a camera pointed at them the whole time. It was very brave and generous of them to share such private thoughts and moments from their lives.

I hope that “Grief: a family healing” will encourage others who’ve suffered this tragedy of losing a loved one to open up and re-connect with family suffering grief, a very complex, painful emotion.

Watch the short film on YouTube here.

About the Author

Award winning director Jeffrey Jay Orgill recently completed his feature film debut “Boppin’ at The Glue Factory” AKA JUNKIE NURSE which is currently playing film festivals. He is developing his next feature script: “The Girl with The Wandering Eye.” He multiple roles include: freelance director, producer, writer, editor, and motion graphics artist. Orgill has written and directed many short films, music videos, and promos which have screened theatrically, on television, and at film festivals. Jeff is a graduate of San Francisco State University Film Program.