Ezra

TYPE: Documentary
GENRE: Documentary
STATUS: Completed

LOGLINE

Ezra's story is unique. Teenage suicide isn't.
Ezra was a gifted artist whose passions and voice are imprinted in the drawings, collages, paintings, musical compositions and journals he generated.
As we unravel the story of Ezra’s life and death, we gain a heartfelt, personal, no-holds-barred insight into teenage suicide and surviving its aftermath.

SYNOPSIS

Ezra is a documentary that looks at teen suicide through the life and death of Ezra Solomon Epstein Weidenfeld.  It’s been 10 years since Ezra, one month shy of his 17th birthday, took his own life.  As we look back and remember his gentle, creative soul, we will also delve into the effect he had on those he left behind; his parents Moshe and Shanee, his older brother, Rafael, his high school friends and teachers, and so many others. They were all part of his world, and have experienced a terrible loss in much the same way that thousands of families across the country do each year.

The film is more than an homage to Ezra; our aim is to assuage the stigma which is often felt by survivors of suicide loss and to use his story to save lives – the lives of teenagers and the lives of survivors.  Every year there are approximately 3,000 teenage suicides in the USA, with suicide being the second cause of death for people 15-24.  Each one of these tragic deaths brings immeasurable pain to survivors.

Recollections of Ezra will be intertwined with present-day events, including a dedication ceremony (September 2019) at a bench facing a small waterfall in Prospect Park purchased with the contributions of hundreds of friends and family. 

Weaving the narrative of Ezra's short lifetime, including his art, with stories of survivors, the video will present the disturbing and confounding epidemic of teen suicide in order to bring greater awareness to the issue, with the hope of saving lives.

ARTISTIC STATEMENT

I would have preferred not to make this film, by far the most emotionally draining project I’ve ever worked on. Now that it is finished, after 2 plus years, and after countless tears shed while filming and in the edit room, I am as proud of this documentary as anything that I've ever created.

I knew Ezra. I have been a friend of the family for the past 20 years, and my son would occasionally hang out with Ezra. We were at their home in April 2009, three days before Ezra took his life. As with many of those appearing in the film, I was shocked, dismayed, deeply sad, and had many questions about this tragic event.

In 2019 Moshe, Ezra's father, contacted me with an idea that had been brewing in his head for 10 years. To make a film about Ezra, and through his story, bring awareness to the issues related to teen suicide. In most of my projects, which are personal biographies made as heirlooms for future generations, the subjects are present, and convey their life story in their own voice. This was going to be different. This was going to be a film for the public and the main character was not going to be interviewed. Where was Ezra’s voice in this film? How were we going to tell the story of one special teenager while at the same time bring awareness to the issues of teen suicide and surviving its aftermath?

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I found Ezra's voice in his many drawings, paintings, writings and musical compositions. I also used ancillary materials such as photographs, home videos, student videos, and stock footage to edit together with the interviews. Of course, the film delves into other topics of interest; religion, art, perception, mental health, and healing are all spoken about, sometimes even in humorous ways. The biggest challenge for me was using these disparate elements in a way that created emotional arcs and the storyline.

Our film doesn’t purport to have the answers, but I believe we have a powerful heartfelt story that will reach audiences on many levels, and make a difference in the world of suicide and the accompanying horror. There is no good time to talk about suicide,..that no good time is now.

As I write this, I am very grateful for the completion of this meaningful and important film and I look forward to sharing it, awaiting the outside world’s reaction.

KEY CREW

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