REVIEW: 'Evelyn' (2018, Orlando von Einsiedel)
Orlando von Einsiedel, the Academy Award-winning director of The White Helmets (2016), goes into terrifying, personal territory in his latest work, Evelyn, winner of the Best Documentary prize at the 2018 British Independent Film Awards.
The titular Evelyn is Orlando’s brother who took his own life in 2005. The docu follows Orlando and his siblings (sometimes joined by a parent or a close friend of Evelyn’s) as they take “a walk towards healing.”
Amid a sprawling British countryside with stunning vistas, people closest to Evelyn go on a five-week-long hike to all the places he used to visit. Every step they take is a giant leap of courage to open up about their grief.
The topic of Evelyn’s suicide had been avoided for over a decade, too painful and traumatizing for the siblings. And now, in an effort to process their deep sense of loss and grief, they come together to talk about him and consider acceptance and move on.
The visually appealing docu is not difficult to watch. It comes with hope that the grieving will find the release they seek. Nature has a way of healing the soul, and perhaps the mountains, glistening lakes, and lush vegetation somehow alleviate their despair.
Yet trauma is heavier than the bags they carry. From time to time, a sibling breaks away from the walk, falling apart in tears.
Evelyn was found dead in a garden on a September morning. He was 22. There’s a glimpse of the young man before he got sick, full of life and happiness, sharing a deep bond with his siblings.
Details of the tragedy are never revealed, only spoken about, including the days leading to the suicide, the family’s initial reaction, what they were doing, and their whereabouts when it happened.
The walk, and the docu itself, become more than a way to process grief among the siblings. It transforms into a fight against the stigma on mental health.
Harrowing statistics are shown, naming suicide as one of the leading causes of death among British men aged between 20 and 49.
Evelyn is a powerful case for mental health awareness. It teaches about empathy and compassion over the secret battles and traumas people mentally suffer from.
4/5
Published in the Daily Tribune
The visually appealing docu is not difficult to watch. It comes with hope that the grieving will find the release they seek. Nature has a way of healing the soul, and perhaps the mountains, glistening lakes, and lush vegetation somehow alleviate their despair.
Yet trauma is heavier than the bags they carry. From time to time, a sibling breaks away from the walk, falling apart in tears.
Evelyn was found dead in a garden on a September morning. He was 22. There’s a glimpse of the young man before he got sick, full of life and happiness, sharing a deep bond with his siblings.
Details of the tragedy are never revealed, only spoken about, including the days leading to the suicide, the family’s initial reaction, what they were doing, and their whereabouts when it happened.
The walk, and the docu itself, become more than a way to process grief among the siblings. It transforms into a fight against the stigma on mental health.
Harrowing statistics are shown, naming suicide as one of the leading causes of death among British men aged between 20 and 49.
Evelyn is a powerful case for mental health awareness. It teaches about empathy and compassion over the secret battles and traumas people mentally suffer from.
4/5
Published in the Daily Tribune
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