Jazz Thornton Explained

Jazz Thornton
Birth Date:29 March 1995
Nationality:New Zealand, New Zealander
Alma Mater:South Seas Film & Television School
Notable Works:Stop Surviving Start Fighting
Voices of Hope

Jazz Thornton (born 29 March 1995)[1] is a New Zealand mental health activist, author, speaker, TikToker and filmmaker. Thornton co-founded a suicide prevention organisation, Voices of Hope,[2] [3] with eating disorder activist Genevieve Mora.[4] Thornton has written three books: an autobiography Stop Surviving, Start Fighting,[5] [6] My Journey Starts Here, a guided journal for improving well-being, and Letters to you, a book of letters to provide support, information, encouragement and tips on practical help for anyone suffering low moments. The 2020 New Zealand documentary The Girl on the Bridge deals with her struggles with mental health.[7] [8] [9] In the documentary, Thornton meditated on losing her friend Jess to suicide.[10]

Thornton was declared 2021 Young New Zealander of the Year.[11]

Biography

As a teenager, Thornton attempted suicide 14 times.[12]

In 2016, as a film student, Thornton created the viral video Dear Suicidal Me, which featured people, including Thornton, who have tried to end their life. The video had more than 80 million views after being covered by international media.[13]

In 2017, Thornton's pitch for a documentary won the Doc Edge Doco Pitch competition in a panel of more than 20 industry professionals, including panelists from Australia and the US. She was the youngest ever person to win it.[14]

In 2018, Thornton met Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their visit to New Zealand.[15]

In 2019, Thornton took part in the United Nations' mental health campaign Speak Your Mind and co-hosted the launch in New York.[16] In the same year, Thornton took a photo with the police officer who saved her life from a suicide attempt[17] [18] and wrote an open letter to her.[19] Thornton also urged Kiwis not to be discouraged by suicide figures. "I was not hugely surprised. I was always hoping for a different number, but I think anyone working in the advocacy and mental health area knows that there is more likely to be a peak before we see the decrease of the effects of what's going on."[20] Thornton was featured in an exhibition on mental health at the London Museum of Lost and Found Potential.[21]

In 2020, Thornton wanted to search for the stranger who prevented her suicide attempt.[22] [23] Queen Elizabeth II commended Thornton and Genevieve Mora for their work on Voices of Hope.[24] They were also invited by Prince William and Prince Harry to discuss their work at Buckingham Palace.[25] The New Zealand government spent $30,000 on influencers, including Thornton, to post about vocational training.[26] [27]

Thornton produced the documentary Jessica's Tree on the suicide of her friend Jess.[28] It won gold in a New York film festival.[29] [30] [31]

In February 2021, Thornton said the Ministry of Health silences criticism about New Zealand's mental health. "The mental health system is functioning the same way that it has for so many years, which is a way that is silencing, which is a way that is discrediting of what people are going through. There are a lot of decisions being made in our Ministry [of Health] that do silence people. But my question is, what’s the danger in not talking about it?". Thornton said after the film The Girl at the Bridge was released, government-funded mental health organisations that initially supported the project backed out because they couldn't be seen endorsing something critical of the Ministry of Health.[32]

Thornton won the 2022 season of the dancing show Dancing with the Stars.[33] [34]

Personal life

In 2020, Thornton was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.[35]

Thornton revealed that she was sexually abused as a three-year-old child till her teenage years and also suffered constant bullying in school.

Work

Books

Films

!Year!Title!Role
2005AttitudeSelf
2013MetamorphosisActress
2017West of EdenActress
2017The KidnappingActress
2019Jessica's TreeDirector
2020The Girl on the BridgeSelf

Notes and References

  1. 1508522200118165506. I turn 27 today .... 2022-03-29. Thornton. Jazz. Jazzthornton_. 2024-02-04.
  2. News: Lee . Jess . Website already helping . 2 April 2021 . . 12 February 2014.
  3. News: Keogh . Brittany . Coronavirus: Mental health advocates' online events to combat social isolation . 2 April 2021 . . 25 March 2020.
  4. News: Thornton . Jazz . More people asking for help, but we still need to do better with mental health . 2 April 2021 . . 8 November 2019.
  5. News: Jazz Thornton: 'stop surviving, start fighting' . 2 April 2021 . Newshub . 31 March 2020.
  6. News: Stop surviving, start fighting: Jazz Thornton's suicide story saving lives . 2 April 2021 . . 29 March 2020.
  7. News: Croot . James . The Girl on the Bridge: The sensitive and compelling Kiwi doco you need to see . 2 April 2021 . . 23 July 2020.
  8. News: Paine . Hannah . Jazz Thornton: NZ suicide prevention campaigner in new documentary . 2 April 2021 . News.com.au . 8 October 2020.
  9. News: Reymer . Lisette . Documentary about New Zealand mental illness advocate Jazz Thornton to make world premiere this weekend . 2 April 2021 . Newshub . 24 September 2020.
  10. News: Lin . River . NZIFF: Mental health activist Jazz Thornton meditates on the loss of a friend to suicide in The Girl on the Bridge . 2 April 2021 . 1 News . 26 July 2020.
  11. News: Andelane . Lana . Mental health advocate Jazz Thornton wins Young New Zealander of the Year 2021 . 2 April 2021 . Newshub . 1 April 2021.
  12. News: Ockhuysen . Stephanie . What it's like to have the police turn up in the midst of your mental health crisis . 2 April 2021 . . 21 January 2020.
  13. News: Jazz Thornton made 14 suicide attempts – now she stars in a documentary to help others . 2 April 2021 . . 29 June 2018.
  14. News: Baker . Amy . 'Emotional and powerful' documentary pitch leads to youngest ever win . 2 April 2021 . . 12 June 2017.
  15. News: Reed . Chris . Royals on tour: Harry and Meghan's low-key royal visit means 'today lives were saved' . 2 April 2021 . . 29 October 2018.
  16. News: Van Velthooven . Emily . Kiwi mental health advocate makes suicide a global conversation at United Nations campaign . 2 April 2021 . 1 News . 14 September 2019.
  17. News: Preston . Nikki . 'It's very emotional': Heartwarming photo of Jazz Thornton with police officer who saved her life . 2 April 2021 . . 29 April 2019.
  18. News: Te . Mandy . Police officer 'honoured' to be part of woman's journey following suicide attempt . 2 April 2021 . . 2 May 2019.
  19. News: Kiwi woman's open letter to the police officer who saved her life . 2 April 2021 . . 29 April 2018.
  20. News: Hendry-Tennent . Ireland . Mental health campaigner Jazz Thornton urges Kiwis not to be discouraged by suicide figures . 2 April 2021 . Newshub . 1 September 2019.
  21. News: Molyneux . Vita . Mental health exhibition features Kiwi advocate Jazz Thornton at London museum . 2 April 2021 . Newshub . 12 October 2019.
  22. News: Keogh . Brittany . Suicide survivor Jazz Thornton searches for stranger who saved her life . 2 April 2021 . . 3 April 2021.
  23. News: 'He is a real life hero': Jazz Thornton's call to help her find the man who saved her life . 2 April 2021 . . 2 July 2020.
  24. News: Kronast . Hannah . New Zealand mental illness advocates Voices of Hope commended by the Queen . 2 April 2021 . Newshub . 12 June 2020.
  25. News: Reed . Chris . Jessica's Tree director Jazz Thornton invited to discuss suicide video at Buckingham Place . 2 April 2021 . . 5 April 2019.
  26. News: Walls . Jason . Government spends $30k on social media influencers to woo young people into trades . 2 April 2021 . . 18 November 2020.
  27. News: Government spends $30k on social media influencers . 2 April 2021 . NewstalkZB . 19 November 2020.
  28. News: Connor . Fiona . 'People die rather than ask for help' – suicide survivor . 2 April 2021 . Newshub . 26 March 2019.
  29. News: Herald suicide series Jessica's Tree wins gold in New York film festival . 2 April 2021 . . 15 July 2020.
  30. News: Reed . Chris . Jessica's Tree: Jazz Thornton's story of suicide and hope has already saved lives . 2 April 2021 . . 12 March 2019.
  31. News: Reed . Chris . Jessica's Tree: The inside story of a young woman's suicide and filmmaker Jazz Thornton's message about how we can all help . 2 April 2021 . . 11 May 2019.
  32. News: Ministry of Health 'silences' criticism about NZ's mental health system — advocate . 2 April 2021 . 1 News . 23 February 2021.
  33. News: 3 April 2022 . Dancing With The Stars NZ: Full 2022 contestant line-up revealed . en . Newshub . 22 May 2022.
  34. Web site: Writes . Emily . 29 May 2022 . Dancing with the Stars 2022: Jazz Thornton takes home the gold . 29 May 2022 . Stuff . en.
  35. Web site: Thornton . Jazz . Let's talk ADHD! . https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CLIn0wOlpyN . 26 December 2021 . registration. Instagram . 9 July 2021.

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