A new feature film is portraying an unnerving compulsion that attracts people from all over to commit suicide off West Virginia’s most iconic bridge. The film is simply entitled THE BRIDGE and was produced by a faith and family film company based in West Virginia.
“About two years ago, a few EMS workers that patrol the New River Gorge Bridge told me about several suicide calls they had responded to on the bridge. Then, one of them said, ‘We get multiple suicide calls from the bridge each month.’” Jason Campbell, President of JCFilms explained, “That’s where the idea for the film came from.”
The most popular suicide bridge in America is the Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco) with about thirty fatal suicides per year. The New River Gorge has never been listed as a top suicide bridge in America, yet the locals in the area easily confirm a much higher number of deaths from this West Virginia bridge.
“You take this information, along with this bizarre increase of suicides in America, more specifically with young people, we started asking why and that got us into producing THE BRIDGE,” Campbell said.
According to the CDC, suicide is a priority public health concern with over 800,000 people killing themselves each year in America. In addition, self-directed injuries are now the second leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 15 and 24.
THE BRIDGE attempts to answer some of the questions why young people commit suicide. It also examines the demonic presence involved with suicide. “The film is an emotional and religious experience that deals with human loss and grief. From a group of teens obsessed with witchcraft to adults with psychological meltdowns, the film covers a multitude of aspects concerning suicide,” Campbell said.
Campbell further explained the purpose as exploring the root cause of our suicide epidemic by presenting to the audience well etched characters and spellbinding performances.
“It’s an uncomfortable subject, but we want to ensure that it’s not something that you can easily look away from,” Campbell explained.
THE BRIDGE is set to be released January 15, 2021 and features actor Dean Cain.