For Immediate Release
Island of Grief (Film).
Contact: Rupert Murrell
Email: rupert@rupert.cc
Phone: +447787502593
Website: https://rupert.cc
WIDOWED FAMILY MAKE BEAUTIFUL FILM ABOUT THEIR JOURNEY THROUGH GRIEF.
BRIGHTON, SUSSEX, UK (15thMay 2018)
Following the death of his wife, Lucy in 2013, Rupert Murrell and his young family explored ways of finding happiness again by making a film.
Part ‘documentary’ with a nod to vintage BBC productions, Brann the raven stars alongside the family as a visual manifestation of grief.
Filmed from an aerial or ‘birds-eye’ view, we see the map of ‘The Island of Grief’ and follow the family as they attempt to find happiness.
This project was designed to be viewed by children and adults that have suffered loss, but its themes are accessible to all.
Backed by the British charity WAY (Widowed & Young) the film also hopes to help others who find themselves lost on the ‘Island of Grief’.
The film can be viewed on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/268833514
The seven-minute short film describes the grief process for a young family. Rupert’s two children; Noah and Milly were just 3 and 6 years old at the time of their mother’s death from breast cancer.
“We had amazing support from our local hospice St Peter & St James who gave Lucy the greatest care in her final weeks. Following Lucy’s death, they also provided bereavement counselling which I believe really transformed our path through grief. WAY (Widowed and Young) and its members have also been with us on this journey. My message to anyone else is “get all the support you can!”
-Rupert Murrell.
The project was filmed in West Sussex, Farm Studios in Bristol and a river in France, and was pieced together while Rupert was attending a Master’s Degree in Sequential Design at the University of Brighton. Following his graduation, he worked with Widowed and Young on the project.
Rupert also worked with Lloyd and Rose Buck and their raven called Brann.
“…He (Brann) was super intelligent! We knew that Brann liked blackberries, so we bought some to the studio to help his performance! Noah and Milly really enjoyed working with such a magnificent bird and Lloyd and Rose were amazing!”
With music from Vaughan Williams, ‘The National’ and Van Morrison this beautiful film is a must watch for those who are grieving or those just wanting to understand how it affects us.
“This short film by Rupert Murrell is a really simple yet powerful way of explaining what #grief can be like.”
Simon Thomas, former Sky Sports & Blue Peter presenter.
(Source twitter: https://twitter.com/SimonThomasSky/status/994816595942920192)
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Editor’s Notes
WAY Widowed & Young supports anyone in the UK aged 50 or under who is overcoming the loss of a partner – whether they were married or not, with or without children, whatever their sexual orientation.
It’s a peer-to-peer support network run by volunteers who have been bereaved at a young age themselves, so they understand exactly what other members are going through.
WAY was founded in 1997 and now has more than 2,700 members across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
You can find out more about WAY at www.widowedandyoung.org.uk.
For more information about Rupert Murrell please go to https://rupert.cc/about/
