Title – Evelyn (2018)

Director – Orlando von Einsiedel (Virunga)

Cast – Gwendolen von Einsiedel, Orlando von Einsiedel

Plot – After the loss of their brother to suicide years prior, the von Einsiedel family set about hiking the British countryside they use to traverse all together to chat about the past, future and the traumatic subject they’ve all been avoiding discussing.  

“I can barely say his name”

Review by Eddie on 04/11/2025

Directed by Oscar winning Virunga filmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel, Netflix original documentary Evelyn is one of the more raw and intimate docos you’re likely to see, yet a feature that also manages to touch on broad global issues that for many will be sadly quite relatable and important.

An extremely personal film to von Einsiedel, who here is joined by his entire family and a collection of close friends, all who are still reeling from the passing of Orlando’s brother Evelyn after he committed suicide after a lengthy battle with mental illness, Evelyn explores the family’s trek across various British locations as they finally open up about their feelings surrounding the horrific ordeal.

It’s certainly not the recipe for a feelgood film, make no doubt about it, Evelyn is confronting and unrelenting in its warts and all delving into the topic of mental illness, suicide and family troubles but there’s much love, warmth and hope to be found also not only for the von Einsiedel’s but for those watching also as we can take solace from the fact that even in the most darkest of moments the light of the human spirit can shine forth.

Walking across some of the more picturesque locales of England and the surrounding isles, Evelyn finds beauty also in its nature and the images captured by von Einsiedel make for a memorable visual experience but it really is the conversations and very human interactions that standout here, making Evelyn a film that will inspire and enrich those that connect with it on a significant level.

Joined by his sister Gwennie and brother Robin for the entirety of the month-long journey, the moments between themselves and others, that also includes Evelyn’s mother and father and close childhood friends create some of the most naturistically touching and effective moments captured in the last decade of documentary features.

The films ability to draw these type of moments out and to lay them before the audience in such a simple yet touching way is a credit to von Einsiedel and while the experience the family had making this documentary no doubt allowed them personal moments of growth, it’s unquestionable that in doing so they have allowed others to come to terms with their own lives also and start to look at ways we can all do better when it comes to helping those that so desperately need it.

Final Say –

Small in scale but large in heart and reach, Evelyn is a powerful and poignant documentary that explores a tough and hard to talk about subject in a way rarely seen.

4 1/2 rainy days out of 5