The 20-minute film is “extremely personal” to Melissa and inspired by her father: long-serving police officer, Inspector Manny De Freitas.
The film explores themes such as mental resilience, stigmas associated with the police, individual coping mechanisms, a catastrophic case, multiculturalism within the force, and dealing with PTSD.
Pictured: Melissa’s father, long-serving police officer, Inspector Manny De Freitas.
Its aim, Melissa said, “is to begin to spark conversation locally, giving a voice to this under-represented topic, and then continue to grow this conversation more nationally and internationally”.
“After positive and empowering receptions so far within the Force and University faculty, I have entered it into film festivals across the UK, Europe and Canada,” she added.
Melissa undertook the project as part of the filmmaking module of her final year of study for an undergraduate degree of Dance and Film & Visual Culture, for which she achieved a First Class Honors.
Pictured: Melissa de Freitas filmed the documentary in partnership with the States Police. (Jon Guegan)
She continued: “I would hope this coverage would allow citizens of Jersey to have a glimpse of their police force in a way they perhaps haven’t considered before, exposing the more vulnerable and emotive areas of the job.”
“This project is extremely personal to me, as it heavily features my dad, who received his long service medal this June, which I was lucky enough to attend at Government House.
“I am a big advocate of being proactive in the face of mental health struggles, and having been through some difficult moments myself, this film aims to reinforce and empower individuals to continue to normalise that it is ok to not be ok.”
Pictured top: ‘After the Sirens’ creator, Melissa de Freitas. (Jon Guegan)