WETA TO BROADCAST TELL MY STORY DOCUMENTARY CHRONICLING A FATHER’S QUEST FOR ANSWERS FOLLOWING SON’S SUICIDE

Washington, D.C. – Tell My Story, the critically acclaimed film documenting the journey of a grieving father seeking answers after his 14-year-old son dies by suicide, is set to air on Monday, June 21 at 9 PM on WETA PBS with an encore presentation on Saturday, June 26 at 8 PM on WETA Metro. The feature-length film chronicles the heartbreaking journey of Jason Reid as he looks for the signals he may have missed with his son while uncovering painful truths about the lives of teens in the process. The broadcast presentation is part of the Well Beings Youth Mental Health Project – a multi-platform, multi-year campaign designed to address the critical mental health needs in America, raise awareness, and shed stigma through candid conversations and storytelling.

“We are proud that TELL MY STORY was selected to be part of WETA’s Well Beings initiative. We Applaud WETA for curating programming around mental health, which can only serve to help normalize these conversations which need to happen without shame,” says producer Beth Portello of Cinema Libre Studio.

Jason Reid, who shares his family’s story in the documentary, says, “I’m so grateful that WETA has chosen to focus on youth and suicide prevention and to program the film which will amplify the message that parents need to own their kids’ mental health.”

“Considering the psychological challenges that young people have had to endure during the pandemic, the airing of this important film is especially timely,” said Miguel Monteverde, senior vice president and general manager, WETA Greater Washington. “By broadcasting Well Beings programming like Tell My Story, we continue our commitment to use the power of television and storytelling to address youth mental health challenges and to work towards positive solutions.”

TELL MY STORY explores the impact of unfettered access to the internet and social media and the shocking rise of depression among America’s youth. The journey brings Reid together with young suicide survivors, prevention experts, and parents trying to understand the 70% increase in adolescent suicide. Closer to home, with his family fractured, he examines his son’s technology to discover what no parent wants to find. Seeking to learn the warning signs that were missed, he instead finds ways to reverse the isolation and disconnectedness that is killing our youth.

TELL MY STORY is produced by Cinema Libre Studio’s Philippe Diaz and Beth Portello.

For more information, please visit Wellbeings.org. Press materals can be found on WETA.org.

The WELL BEINGS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT is made possible by Otsuka, Kaiser Permanente, Bank of America, Liberty Mutual Insurance, American Psychiatric Association Foundation, One Mind, Movember, National Alliance on Mental Illness, The Dauten Family Foundation, Dana Foundation, Hersh Foundation, Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission, Frances Von Schlegell and John E. Von Schlegell, Robina Riccitiello, Sutter Health, and Jackson Family Enterprises. The project underwriters are leveraging their organizational resources to support WELL BEINGS and have created a video on  available via https://wellbeings.org/partners-sponsor-psa/.

WETA has assembled a wide range of partners to collaborate on the project, both for digital content and the WELL BEINGS TOUR. In addition to local public media stations, the project includes CALL TO MIND at American Public Media, PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, Forbes, PEOPLE, Mental Health America, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, The Steve Fund, and The Jed Foundation.

ABOUT CINEMA LIBRE STUDIO:

Cinema Libre Studio is a mini studio known for producing and distributing high-quality feature films and social impact documentaries. The company is in pre-production on a feature film about the Angola 3 and a feature-length documentary on CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth. Headquartered in the Los Angeles area, the team has released over 200 films, including THE END OF POVERTY?,  CAN’T STAND LOSING YOU: SURVIVING THE POLICE, and Canada’s 2020 Oscar ® submission, ANTIGONE. Visit: www.cinemalibrestudio.com, https://www.facebook.com/cinemalibrestudio  or find us @CinemaLibre on Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT WELL BEINGS

The WELL BEINGS campaign addresses the critical health needs in America through broadcast content, original digital content, and impactful local events. The multi-year campaign, created by WETA Washington, D.C., brings together partners from across the country, including patients, families, caregivers, teachers, medical and mental health professionals, social service agencies, private foundations, filmmakers, corporations and media sponsors, to create awareness and resources for better health for all. To learn more, visit WellBeings.org or follow @WellBeingsOrg on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, and join the conversation with #WellBeings. 

ABOUT WETA

WETA is the leading public broadcaster in the nation’s capital, serving Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia with educational initiatives and with high-quality programming on television, radio and digital. WETA Washington, D.C., is the second-largest producing-station for public television in the United States, with news and public affairs programs including PBS NEWSHOUR and WASHINGTON WEEK; films by Ken Burns such as COUNTRY MUSIC, KEN BURNS PRESENTS THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY and THE ROOSEVELTS: AN INTIMATE HISTORY; series and documentaries by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., including FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. (Seasons 3-7) and RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR; and performance specials including THE KENNEDY CENTER MARK TWAIN PRIZE and THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GERSHWIN PRIZE FOR POPULAR SONG. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at www.weta.org. Visit www.facebook.com/wetatvfm on Facebook or follow @WETAtvfm on Twitter.