Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide.

Sue Loncar’s daughter Grace died by suicide on Nov. 26, 2016. Her husband, Brian, died by suicide on Dec. 4 of the same year. Over five years later, Loncar began working on a film about their deaths to honor her family and help spread awareness about suicide prevention.

“Making the film was emotionally hard to relive all that has happened, but it was also a gift to get to share her with the world,” Sue said. “Watching the film, I get to revisit her amazing self again and share how special she was with the world.”

“Losing Grace Finding Hope,” a documentary feature about Grace Loncar’s passing, will be screened at the Syracuse International Film Festival this Saturday, Sept. 21. Sue worked with her friend, director Marcia Carroll, to produce the film. It tells the story of the Loncar family’s journey to the realization that surviving and thriving after the death of a loved one by suicide is possible.

Carroll previously produced, directed and starred in the 2021 short film “JADED,” also inspired by Grace’s death. Following that production, Sue and Carroll spoke about her working on the documentary, which Carroll said she was honored to do. Over a 10-day shoot, Carroll spoke to members of the Loncar family and the Dallas, Texas, community affected by Grace’s passing.

“It was just people that were very important to Sue, who had an important part in Grace’s life and knew the dynamics of her tragedy well enough that they could speak to it,” Carroll said.

With a $95,000 budget, Carroll said her storyboarding process and vision of the documentary was essential to its success. Carroll’s small crew also added to the efficiency of the short, lower-budget shoot.

Carroll said balancing her responsibilities as the director of “Losing Grace Finding Hope” and as Loncar’s friend challenged her throughout the shoot. The thought of getting the story right frequently kept her up at night until the film’s production was complete, she said. She knew the interviews would make the documentary engaging, but did not want to make anyone uncomfortable discussing Grace’s death.

Courtesy of Marcia Carroll

Marcia Carroll interviews Sue Loncar about Loncar’s documentary regarding the deaths of her family members.

“You just want to create a safe environment where they feel compelled to speak from the heart and share some difficult truths,” Carroll said. “It was a remarkable outcome, and I felt humbled and honored to be charged with the task.”

Since wrapping production in January 2024, Carroll and Sue have traveled worldwide on the film festival circuit. In addition to SIFF, “Losing Grace Finding Hope” has been an official selection of the Portland Film Festival in Portland, Oregon, and the Ferrara Film Festival in Ferrara, Italy. This experience has spread awareness by shining a light specifically on the loved ones left behind, Carroll said.

When Michelle DiBernardo, president of SIFF, saw the trailer for “Losing Grace Finding Hope,” she was intrigued and immediately watched the entire film. DiBernardo knew she wanted SIFF to show the film for mental health advocacy during the festival.

“It’s something that needs to be brought more to the table because there are too many amazing lives that we’re losing to mental health that people are turning their nose to or may not understand,” DiBernardo said.

The topic of suicide that’s central to “Losing Grace Finding Hope” is rarely covered at SIFF, but DiBernardo said the change in tone is essential. September is Suicide Awareness Month, and she wants to use cinema to raise awareness of mental health and tell viewers they are not alone.

In addition to screening “Losing Grace Finding Hope,” SIFF will welcome Garra Lloyd-Lester, coordinator for community and coalition initiatives at the Suicide Prevention Center of New York on Saturday.

Lloyd-Lester will discuss different resources available for people struggling with mental health. Struggling with thoughts of suicide is a part of the human condition, Lloyd-Lester said, and educating people about ways to get help is extremely important to him. He hopes to connect the ideas in the documentary to the broader matter of suicide prevention and the importance of communication.

“Losing Grace Finding Hope” is an example of safe messaging about suicide, which describes pieces of media that discuss suicide as a public health issue and provide resources for viewers in need. Lloyd-Lester said there are ways of discussing suicide that do not add value to the conversation and could even increase the risk of someone taking their own life.

“We don’t want to dismiss the fact that some people do take their lives, and that is an absolute tragedy beyond compare, but it’s important to balance that in a respectful way,” Lloyd-Lester said. “Thoughts of suicide aren’t uncommon, and most people don’t go on to act on themselves.”

Lloyd-Lester said filmmaking is a way to connect with global audiences about suicide awareness, leading to meaningful discussions and accurate reporting around the issue. If the producer and director understand safe messaging and can present the topic engagingly, a film can empower its audience to fight for mental health support and reach those who need help.

Watching “Losing Grace Finding Hope” with an audience has been a spiritual experience for Sue. Although it is sad to relive Grace’s passing, sharing her story can bring healing, she said.

Sue hopes the documentary can destigmatize mental illness and show people it’s okay to open up about their feelings. Although Carroll and Sue will not be able to attend the SIFF screening, Carroll said they are grateful for the exposure, the platform and the ability to spread awareness.

“I am so touched and humbled by every person sharing this intimate experience with me,” Sue said. “I feel love and pride in my family and friends and grateful to have been Grace’s mother. I hope people are moved to take action in their own lives.”

Published on September 19, 2024 at 1:36 am