From Hollywood to the ‘Hood, independent directors spotlight

African-American men suffering with depression

By Gerren Keith Gaynor

And while their fatal stories made national headlines for a few short weeks, the public fleetingly moved on to the next cycle of news, business as usual. But when it comes to Black men, discussions about depression and suicide are hardly ever tackled in ways that are meaningful.

An upcoming indie documentary called “Face of Darkness” seeks to do just that. Directed by independent filmmakersSqueaky Moore and Kenneth “KT” Nelson, the doc chronicles the lives of three African-American men battling depression and uses the likes of Cornelius, Young and Lighty as a way to bring a face to a often faceless epidemic.

In a promo, Lee Thompson Young’s father is seen in a heart-wrenching sit-down interview with the film’s directors to speak on his son’s unexpected suicide amid a very active acting career.

“The hard part was not knowing. I’ll always feel like maybe I could’ve done something,” said Tommy Scott Young about his son while wiping the tears from his face.

Though the topic of mental health and depression is very dark, it’s a dialogue that has to be had, says directors Moore and Nelson, who both suffered with depression.

“As an African-American male, I was taught that a man could not express his feelings and never to cry,” Nelson said in a press release. “There is a stigma in my community that prevents males from sharing emotions, hugging or admitting that we are afraid.”

The film also includes a sit-down with celebrity psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere and mental health activist Terrie Williams.

“We have to be aware that when we talk about depression it’s not just about having sleep issues, appetite issues, being sad all the time,” Gardere says. “Depression can manifest itself in so many different ways, including rage, slow suicide [and] very destructive behaviors.”

According to the Department of Health and Human services, Black men account for over 80 percent of all African-American suicides.

Watch the promo for “Face of Darkness” below, and for more information visit its official website,www.faceofdarknessdocumentary.com.