Lisa Klein- Granddaughter, Daughter, and Sister of Suicide Makes Touching Documentary about the Taboo Subject- The S Word

Lisa Klein grew up in Michigan. When she was in college she got a call to come home because she was told her dad died from heart failure. Months later, her brother would take his life in the car in the garage and die by suicide which eventually she’d find out was the same way her dad and her grandmother had also died. She learned from her mother to never discuss suicide out of shame and so she didn’t. Until one day, Lisa realized she not only wanted to talk about suicide openly, she wanted to make documentary films about the taboo subject by humanizing the topic.

Lisa is an award-winning director and writer dedicated to crafting groundbreaking documentary features. Her current project, THE S WORD, is a documentary that tackles one of the most cloistered issues of our time through the emotional stories of suicide attempt and loss survivors. In 2012, Lisa co-directed the award-winning film OF TWO MINDS, a journey into the lives of bipolar disorder. She tours the country speaking and using her films to raise awareness of mental health issues. Lisa is co-founder, with her husband Doug Blush, of MadPix Films, an LA-based production company dedicated to producing character-driven stories that create global impact and social change.

Lisa is a graduate of the University of Michigan and received an M.F.A. from the University of Southern California. Her daughter is now a University of Michigan student. She’s picked up a pandemic hobby of painting and creating art projects, which besides her family, her dog, and running and tennis, brings her a lot of joy.

Lisa Klein’s Collages: