If Only He Had Died in the War

Many researchers, writers and poets have described, defined and tried to explain the suicide phenomenon. Yet, even in the 21st century, it is still a mystery, shrouded in secret, stigma and shame. These characteristics are transmitted, after the suicide, to the surviving family members.

What happens to them?

What is the impact of the suicide of their relative, on them?

Through interviews with parents, children, spouses and siblings of people who have committed suicide, Shirley Avrami explores the long lasting and heavy burden the survivors themselves are being left with. Revealing herself as part of the survivors' community, she manages to capture their shared feelings of guilt and anger, fears and anxieties.

The bottom line of her journey is surprisingly optimistic, finding the power in sharing, talking about the unspoken and showing ways of growth out of the sadness and grief: finding a meaning in the meaningless.