David White, Katie Norris, Kevin Berthia, Kevin Briggs, Sawyer Skipper. Photo courtesy of Fotolanthropy
A new documentary from a Lake Highlands grad’s film production company, Fotolanthropy, puts the lens on a story of recovery, hope and healing.
In the film 92 Minutes, which is currently in pre-production, Kevin Briggs and Kevin Berthia story starts 18 years ago on the Golden Gate Bridge when a depressed Berthia was about to jump and commit suicide.
Kevin Briggs and Kevin Berthia. Left photo courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle / John Storey / Polaris.
Briggs, who worked on the California Highway Patrol, listened to Berthia for 92 minutes in a conversation that led to Berthia coming back over the rail. The moment was captured in a photo that spread across the news.
“Before March 11, 2005, I never even went to the bridge,” Berthia told NPR’s StoryCorps. “I didn’t even know how to get there. I had to ask for directions.”
The two men didn’t see nor talk to each other until eight years later. It resulted in a friendship, and now the two work together on suicide prevention. Fotolanthropy’s CEO and lead producer Katie Norris says seeing the photo inspired her to reach out to both men for this latest project.
“This story is about human connection and the power of listening, and we know that mental health is a significant topic right now,” Norris said in an email. “When I first saw the image of Kevin Berthia and Kevin Briggs together on the bridge, I knew we had had to reach out. They’ve both shown so much bravery and we believe this film will serve hope to those who feel alone. We are so grateful for the support of the Lake Highlands community.”
Fotolanthropy sources support from the community for its films and has a fundraising page for donors interested in contributing to 92 Minutes.
