Filmmaker Creates BBC Documentary Following Stabbing in Bristol
A recently released documentary, illustrating the repercussions of knife crime, has been created by a filmmaker who himself fell victim to five knife wounds.
Aodh Breathach experienced a stabbing in Bristol nearly a decade ago and mentioned that he seldom discussed it thereafter.
Encountering fellow victims of stabbings in the documentary “Scars: Surviving a Stabbing” on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer, Mr. Breathatch initiated conversations.
In the program, he engaged with Jasper Tait-Williams, an advocate against knife crime, and the organizer of “Put The Knives Down Gloucester.”
Mr. Tait-Williams conveyed his journey of coming to terms with the stabbing and how he’s been working to eliminate knives from his local community.
“He [Mr. Breathatch] reached out to me on Facebook concerning the work I’ve been engaged in, and he expressed interest in meeting to discuss the documentary he’s been producing,” shared Mr. Tait-Williams with BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
“I was truly moved. It felt like my message was truly resonating, for a company in London to extend an invitation to me in Gloucester.”
Following Mr. Breathatch’s assault in Bristol during a night out, he observed a toll on his mental well-being, yet scarcely broached the topic. He sought to connect with others who have undergone similar experiences to understand how they are managing both physically and emotionally.
In the documentary, Mr. Tait-Williams recounted the profound physical and psychological effects of being stabbed in the face.
Addressing his scars, he remarked, “I couldn’t consume regular food, I had to resort to using a straw. They had me on an array of steroids and antibiotics, so I was in a constant state of drowsiness. I was distraught over the deformation of my face. It was an exceedingly challenging period. I felt profoundly isolated.”
