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= Scattering CJ (film) = Scattering CJ is a 2019 feature-length documentary film about the Scattering CJ Facebook page launched by the Twomey family after their son CJ’s suicide. The documentary is a Spark Media film and was directed by Andrea Kalin and produced by Andrea Kalin and David Lobatto.

Synopsis
In 2013, nearly three and a half years after CJ Twomey died by suicide at the age of 20, his mother Hallie Twomey posted on Facebook, seeking travelers to help scatter her son’s ashes at various destinations around the world.

The Facebook page “grew into an online community with more than 21,000 members ” and the project received more than 12,000 offers to scatter CJ’s ashes. His ashes have been scattered into more than one thousand unique locations around the world.

Aggregating hundreds of clips chronicling personal ash-scattering pilgrimages worldwide, combined with interviews and vérité filmmaking, the documentary explores the effects of suicide, the generosity of strangers, and one troubled family's attempt to heal in the wake of loss.

Festivals and Awards
The film had its world premiere at the Camden International Film Festival in September 14, 2019.

Press & Reception:
The Twomey’s story first appeared in the Lewiston Sun Journal in 2013, shortly after Hallie Twomey issued her “Scattering CJ” request on Facebook. Other news outlets, including The Associated Press, The Daily Mail , and CNN soon followed.

The documentary won the Audience Award at the Dunedin International Film Festival and the Public Service Award at the Richmond International Film Festival. Articles about the film and its accompanying outreach campaign have been featured in the Lewison Sun Journa l, Yahoo News, Huffington Post , Portland Press Herald , and on NPR's All Things Considered.

Mental Health Initiatives & Advocacy:
The Twomey family has spoken about the film, saying any profit from CJ-related campaigns will be donated to suicide prevention or organ donation agencies.

Partnerships:
The film lists partnerships with the American Association of Suicidology, American College Counseling Association and the Charles E Kubly Foundation. The film was also working with the Silhouette Project, a veteran mental health campaign, one of the most vulnerable populations when it comes to suicide.

The soundtrack for the film includes songs by Linkin Park, who’s lead singer Chester Bennington died by suicide in 2017, and Avicii who died by suicide in 2018. Both artists' deaths led to the founding of mental health organizations that are working to combat suicide, the 320 Change Direction campaign and the Tim Bergling Foundation.

Digital Advocacy:
The film was featured as a part of Hill Day at Home, a virtual event in which 25 national mental health advocacy organizations rallied to bring mental health-related issues to Congress.

Advisory board:
According to the film’s site, the production’s advisory board is composed of members in the mental health fields:


 * Lisa Adams, PhD (GA), Director of the Counseling Center & Accessibility Services, University of Western Georgia
 * Victor Chang, PhD (OR), Mental Health Services Coordinator at the Student Health and Wellness Center, Southern Oregon University
 * April Foreman, PhD (LA), Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System
 * Katherine Shear. PhD (NY), Professor of Psychiatry in Social Work, Columbia University School of Social Work
 * Colleen Creighton (DC), Executive Director, American Association of Suicidology
 * Chris Maxwell (KS), Communications Coordinator, American Association of Suicidology