A short documentary is soon to be released which aims to shine a light on the only helpline in the UK for gay farmers.
The short film 'Landline' journeys into the world of the people who call the helpline, which was set up in 2010 by Keith Ineson, a chaplain from Cheshire.
Through a series of recorded telephone conversations and reconstructive visuals, the film uses the helpline as a lens through which to view the experiences of LGBT people in the British farming community.
Suicide rates are high in both young farmers and gay men in particular, and combining these can be a recipe for tragedy.
The documentary shines a light on these statistics, and looks at the overall picture of mental health within the LGBT rural community.
Landline | Trailer from Matt Houghton on Vimeo.
It has already won the HBO Documentary Short Film Award, and has been nominated and recognised at the BFI Flair, Seattle Film Festival and Shanghai Pride.
Matt Houghton, director of Landline said the film idea stemmed from speaking to his friend about his childhood growing up on the family farm, knowing he was gay and the isolation he felt.
"As we researched further, we began to understand the extent to which being an LGBTQ farmer was so heavily wrapped up in ideas of identity. Keith Ineson’s helpline seemed a unique lens through which to explore these ideas," Mr Houghton said.
"Over the course of about a year, we collected stories and experiences from LGBTQ farmers who have at one time or another called the helpline. A series of recorded telephone conversations emerged as the emotional centre of the film."
The film is being funded by Film London and made with Pulse Films and Fee Fie Foe.
