The Deafening Silence

In December 2013 we commissioned White Boat TV to produce a raw and arresting drama-based film on the plight of a couple who experience the stillbirth of their baby. The 20-minute film is based on real life experiences with the aim of improving bereavement care for parents and to raise awareness of the 14 babies who suffer stillbirth or neonatal death every day in the UK.

Our internationally renowned film ‘The Deafening Silence’ which has been seen in 175 countries and was awarded two internationally recognised Gold IVCA (International Visual Communications Association) Awards for ‘Best Charity and not for Profit Communication’ and the ‘Best Drama’.

 

The film has been highly successful and is still being used by Child Bereavement UK and SANDS (Stillbirth and Neo-Natal Death charity) as part of their intensive training programme for midwives and care staff throughout the UK. The two charities also worked with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) to produce an e-learning training course using the film as a central tool – for the RCMs 27,000 members on the subject of bereavement, something many midwives and care staff never receive during their formal training.

The film has received well over 393,000 views across 179 countries on You Tube (to date). It won two Gold IVCA Awards (Best Charity and not for Profit and Best Drama) and selected by the BFI for permanent preservation in its archive.

The entire drama takes place in a hospital where the parents receive the devastating news that their baby has died and the mother needs to give birth.

Contact us if you would like any DVD copies posted to your healthcare unit.

Deafening Silence stillbirth

Viewer comment, “Essentially, the video is probably the closest thing I’ve seen or read to what stillbirth is like. If you’ve been through it, or are going through it, I’ll tell you something I’ve learned; finding people who can support you who have been there, is so important for your own healing process.”

The need for part 2…

The aim was to build on the success of the first film and help midwives to reflect on their interactions with mother’s returning for their second child following a bereavement. Funding from Colyer-Fergusson Trust and Burdett Trust for Nursing meant the film could go into production early 2022. As with the first film, it has been developed and directed by Chris Godwin (written by Guy Ducker). Say My Baby’s Name was officially released in October 2022 for Baby Loss Awareness Week.

Pictures from the production August 2022…

Bereavement training film 4

Bereavement training film 5

Bereavement training film 6

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