After the Sirens

Aiming to expose the extreme mental and emotional demands of being a police officer, After The Sirens is an intimate documentary that unmasks how mental health is perceived and addressed in the police force from first hand accounts. The film invites viewers to consider the mental resilience required to be an officer, with conversations surrounding trauma exposure, emotional labour, multiculturalism and personal experiences of coping. Through displaying the force’s involvement in a recent traumatic case, as well as the trauma encountered throughout their individual careers, the documentary offers the opportunity to go inside the policing mind.

Directed by Melissa De Freitas, After the Sirens leans on a strong ensemble — Chris Beechey, Manny De Freitas, Brendan Flaxman — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2023.