Montcalm Community College will host several preview showings of the suicide-prevention movie, “Don’t Change the Subject,” in September.
“Don’t Change the Subject” is a dark, funny, uplifting documentary about surviving suicide.
Director Mike Stutz investigates his mom’s suicide by opening up a conversation with his family that they never had when he was a child. Then he recruits a band of writers, artists, dancers, comics, punk clowns and suicide survivors to put their own unique stamp on the conversation. Teenagers dance to autopsy reports. A jumper gives tips on how to come out of a coma. A comic discovers that suicide can actually be funny. Also, dozens of amazingly honest and incredible people open up about their lives in ways that you’d never expect. The film features animation, a suicide band, and parties for dead people.
MCC Dean of Instruction and Faculty Dr. Gary Hauck said the college is showing the movie on both its Sidney and Greenville campuses to help people have a better understanding of the thoughts and processes people go through in relation to suicide.
“Suicide has touched many families in one way or another, and the more we know about its prevention, the more helpful we can be,” Hauck said. “There are individuals all around us who may be struggling with serious depression. It is certainly our hope that they will come to view the film as well.”
Hauck said he and MCC faculty and counseling staff members will be conducting post-movie discussions.
“People will have the opportunity to further explore questions and thoughts about suicide and suicide prevention,” he said.
The movie will be shown on Sept. 5 at noon and Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. in room M129 at Montcalm Community College’s Stanley and Blanche Ash Technology and Learning Center, formerly the M-TEC, on the college’s Greenville campus, and Sept. 20 at noon and 7 p.m. in rooms D303-305 in MCC’s Beatrice E. Doser Building on the college’s Sidney campus. Admission is free.
