Unnatural Deaths

Written, directed and narrated by Kate Rossmanith, Unnatural Deaths is about the surprising ways in which bereaved relatives view the forensic photographs associated with the sudden death of their loved one. The short film combines remarkable crime-and-accident scene images with the experiences of police photographers, coroners, social workers, and, most importantly, victims’ families, in order to explore the strange effects of grief, memory, and remorse. The documentary was published by The Guardian Australia in 2018 as part of the series 'Present Traces' that explores the use of archives in film. It is being used by crown solicitors, psychologists and counsellors to counsel bereaved relatives in their decisions concerning whether, and how, to view police images; it is also being used by families trying to advocate for better access to forensic material.

Here you can read an article about the documentary and about forensic photographs.