Compelling, “no holds barred” telemovie tackles police mental health head-on
“DARK BLUE”
…true stories from behind the thin blue line…
“They never said it would be like this…”
“Dark Blue” is a compelling, new telemovie for the Police Federation of Australia which tackles head-on mental health and psychological injuries in Australia’s police forces. While “Dark Blue” is, undeniably, confronting, everyone who has seen it thus far agrees that this is a story that must be told.
Dark Blue is available for viewing via the PFA website:
Written and produced by award-winning South Australian father and son filmmakers, Mike and Corey Piper of Piper Films, “Dark Blue” has astounded police audiences thus far for its production values, its compassion, its understanding and its meticulous attention to detail.
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Dark Blue is a 45-minute drama based on true stories of Australian police officers. It stars police association member Detective Jeff Lang in the lead role of Senior Constable Grant Wood. Jeff Lang is an experience actor, singer and has 15 years’ experience as a serving police officer with SAPOL.
Dark Blue takes the audience on a journey through the eyes of a dedicated police officer. From his graduation day we experience with him the highs, lows and the traumatic events of real police work. We feel the stigma he faces from workmates and we watch his relationship with his wife and his young family break down. The narrative culminates on a windy, rainy night in a car park overlooking the city which he has served.
“Nothing as starkly powerful as “Dark Blue” has ever been produced in this country – or, to the best of our knowledge anywhere else,” said Mr Carroll APM, President of the Police Federation of Australia (PFA) and one of “Dark Blue’s” executive producers.
“No one who sees “Dark Blue” will come away unmoved – or in any doubt whatsoever about the significant psychological costs borne by the people who keep our communities safe.”
“Dark Blue” is a key element in a comprehensive mental health program being developed and rolled out by the PFA with the assistance of the Commonwealth Government. The program includes a suite of a suite of cop-specific materials – handbooks, workplace posters, a song written by acclaimed singer-songwriter John Schumann called ‘Graduation Day’ – and now Dark Blue, ” Mr Carroll said.
