The Silent Goldens

The Silent Goldens gives a rare and raw look a family’s first conversations about a suicide 30 years after it happened. This story exposes the unique grief millions of survivors of suicide loss face, exacerbated by a destructive silence that typically descends in the aftermath.

Suicide is a problem in all cultures, classes, religions, and ethnicities. The stigma, judgment, and shame felt by suicide loss survivors is also universal.

I am Ruth (with the pigtails) and was 19 when my mother killed herself. My family stopped talking about her death and her life as soon as she was buried. After three decades of burying my grief and finally acknowledging the damage to my psyche, I became committed to breaking this silence around the taboo topic of suicide - starting with my own family.

Film has always been a compelling way to broach difficult subjects and normalize public discussion. My documentary’s intention is to foster a better understanding of the terrible human experience of suicide loss. It’s a cautionary tale about the damage silence can do to loss survivors while showing the healing power of conversation.

I am hoping people affected by suicide loss, and those who are concerned about mental health issues, will support this film as a way of speaking out to end the stigma and normalize conversations about suicide.