‘Toward Daylight,’ a suicide-awareness documentary filmed by Penn State communications students, will be recognized at a California awards ceremony this month.
Developed for use by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the documentary premiered last fall at the State Theatre in State College. It centers on suicide and survivorship in Centre County.
The work has earned an honorable mention at the 2011 Voice Awards, according to a news release. The annual awards honor efforts that raise mental- and behavioral-health awareness through TV and film, the release says.
Honorees for 2011 will be spotlighted in an Aug. 24 ceremony in Hollywood, Calif. The U.S. Department of Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Center for Mental Health Services sponsor the Voice Awards.
‘The (‘Toward Daylight’) film tells the stories of real people and offers resources and hope for those impacted by depression and suicide,’ said Susan Kennedy, an advisory board member for Out of the Darkness, a local suicide-prevention group.
Speaking in the news release, Kennedy said Out of the Darkness has already shown the documentary to more than 1,200 local residents since the October premiere. ‘We are so pleased to be recognized by the Voice Awards for the difference the film is making to help mental health,’ she said.
Barbara Bird, an associate professor in the Penn State College of Communications, served as director for ‘Toward Daylight.’ It was produced by alumna Andrea Seely.
Additional information is available via the Out of the Darkness website.
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