We introduce young adults to suicide by way of its cultural references, where romantic myths obscure or deny its dark reality: Socrates drinking his hemlock; Juliet taking Romeo's dagger to her chest; Thelma and Louise soaring off a cliff in their 1966 Ford Thunderbird. Stories like these are the signposts that give suicide meaning. They don't drive anyone to suicide, but, especially for those prone to such thoughts, these myths should not be definitive. We do almost nothing to provide a frank picture of the confusion, loathing, suffering and futility of suicide—and to offer the hope of life beyond its grisly allure.

EVIDENCE (a working title) will tell the story of my sister, Nichole Pagliaro, who took her own life in 1999 at the age of 27. In many ways, her story typifies suicide in young adulthood. It's the perfect cautionary tale. But Nichole's suicide per se will not be the subject of the documentary. To focus on her final day would be a mistake, though that day has its place. A story about the ravages of suicide mustn't fail to remind us of the precious thing it steals. Nichole's life and death, as it was mine, will be the catalyst for an education.

Our best chance to prevent suicide is through the early recognition and treatment of mental illness. So our mission—and the heart of this movie—rests in getting more teenagers to recognize these signs and, when they do, to take concrete steps toward getting help. Thankfully, we have the guidance and support of the following mental health experts, each of whom has agreed to appear in EVIDENCE: Dr. Dan Iosifescu, Dr. Douglas Jacobs, Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, and Dr. John Jordan (learn more about our experts).

The realities of suicide may be difficult to bear, but those who know them—those affected by suicide—know that life, though often challenging, should never be discarded. My sister left behind a wealth of evidence of her clipped existence: photographs, videos, tapes, letters and, most of all, memories. Yet nothing can come close to capturing her essence, that feeling of her when she walked into a room. I want to convince young adults: don't become a record, a pile of photographs, a memory—be living proof of who you are.

-Douglas Faneuil

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