South Holland movie duo bring depression onto a cinema screen

Alex Beehoo (18), of Crowland, and Callum Forman (26), of Holbeach, are the pair behind Afire Mind, a short film which tackles the realities of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses.

Callum, who went to the former George Farmer Technology and Language College (now University Academy Holbeach), takes his place in front of the camera as former firefighter Tom Harris who is traumatised by a fatal house fire.

Alex, a former Spalding Grammar School student, 
directed the short film just two-and-a-half years after finishing his GCSEs.

He said: “I was never into making films when I was younger, but I’d always had a love for them because my dad used to show me things like Star Wars and Alien.

“Then I decided to go to college and actually study TV and film, which is how I met Mark Mountford of Peterborough Films.

“Callum had a few ideas of making a short film about PTSD and almost all the feedback on it has been really positive.”

Afire Mind follows Callum’s character as he relives with the death of a young girl he failed to save at a house fire, trying drink and drugs to defeat his inner demons.

Callum said: “I came to Mark and Alex with the idea after going through a period of depression myself and, after coming out of it, becoming quite fascinated with so many different sides to the issue.

“Anyone could be suffering in silence, but all is not lost.”