Actor (m/d) for a student short film on the topic of "Suicide Awareness"
Hello everyone, we are looking for an emotionally complex cast for the lead role of "Nate" in our short film project on suicide awareness "Samsara".
With this project, we want to appropriately and authentically implement the topics of suicide and depression in everyday life and on a social level, as well as respectfully show the effects on those affected and bereaved.
Based on extensive research and various discussions with aid organizations and related experts, we are breaking with stereotypical role models and moving away from thematic clichés as far as possible.
The film shines with intensively developed character biographies, which give the characters additional emotional depth and underline the film's plot beyond its running length.
Exposé
Nate Daniels has lost everything - his brother, his marriage and his belief in himself. "Samsara" accompanies him on the last part of his journey and sheds light on the silence surrounding depression and suicide. The short film shows how closeness and honest words can become a turning point when a person is on the threshold between life and death.
Since the suicide of his brother "Richie", Nate has suffered from severe depression. As a result, he increasingly neglects his everyday life, the things and people around him and, first and foremost, himself. At the request of his wife Emily (who has been suffering from Nate's neglect of her and herself for some time), he does everything he can to help himself - from meditation at home to public self-help groups. But deep down, he can't open up to any of these things - his guilt and fear of facing himself are too great. He doesn't take the self-help methods at home seriously and doesn't get involved with them - in the groups he twists the truth to avoid having to confront his problems.
In the end, this leads to Emily breaking up with him for good, as she is too afraid that the day when Nate starts to help himself will never come as long as he does everything just for her. Nate begs and pleads with her to stay - but her mind is made up. In the blink of an eye, Nate Daniels loses the last thing that makes his life worth living.
With nothing left to lose anyway and the thought of ending his life now becoming more and more his reality, he decides to go to a support group one last time and tell the truth. He talks about his guilt, his grief and the hatred that consumes him day by day and kills him in silence. After the session, Claire speaks to his neighbor and also a participant in the group. She speaks to him openly about his suicidal thoughts, breaking the paralyzing silence that has surrounded him for so long. For the first time, Nate feels truly seen, not for what he is doing or trying to hide, but for what he is: a person who no longer knows what to do. Claire's words are not a comforting appeal or an empty promise. They are simply honest - and that is exactly what reaches him. In her gaze, Nate realizes that he is not alone in his darkness, that someone has survived the same pain. This moment changes everything: the decision to end his life is called into question for a moment. No loud turnaround, no catharsis - just a slight hesitation. But in this hesitation lies what Nate thought he had lost: life.
"Samsara" is a movie about the courage to face one's own pain and that of others - and about how a single honest conversation can save a life.
If you like the values and content of this project and the advertised role, we look forward to your participation and lots of feedback!
You are welcome to use the project for your portfolios/show reels after publication or evaluation.
Contact: Michael
Experience of embodying dramatic roles
Emotional depth
Resilience (with regard to trigger topics of suicide
). Trigger topics suicide and depression)
Expressive non-verbal / mimic acting
Of course reliability and respectful interaction on set as well as respect for the hierarchies and processes of a film shoot
Development of the role in pre-production in close cooperation with the director