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The Daily Mail
By William Cole For Mailonline
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- Omid Nooshin found hanged at home by his mother at Guildford, Surrey home
- Best known for celebrated and tightly budgeted 2013 debut film Last Passenger
- The new father had struggled in battle with depression for six years
- Samaritans suicide helpline are available at any time of the day on 116 123
A successful film director, praised for his movie work on very limited budgets, hanged himself after work pressures added to his inherited crippling depression, a coroner heard.
New father Omid Nooshin was found hanged at home by his mother after falling into a severe spiral of despair despite being tended by two GPs, the inquest was told.
He had battled for six years to beat depression and was acclaimed for his work which included receiving a British Independent Film Awards’ nomination for best debut director for his 2013 film Last Passenger.
The 43-year-old had recently welcomed a baby daughter into the world with his wife Lucy (corr), but her concerns grew after he failed to return her calls while she was at work.
On a visit to their home in Guildford, Surrey, Omid’s mother arrived to discover her son in the hallway, coroner Anna Crawford (corr) was told.
Police and paramedics rushed to the address, but he was pronounced dead shortly after the emergency service’s arrival on January 15 2018.
Ms Crawford told the hearing that a post-mortem examination concluded the cause of death was hanging and toxicology tests found therapeutic levels of medication in his system. He was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of his death.
Addressing the inquest, his widow gave a powerful and emotionally-charged insight into her experiences supporting her husband’s mental health with the arrival of their baby daughter.
‘As a new mother with a young baby, I felt incredibly alone having to care for Omid – I was completely out of ideas for how I could help him and while I hoped he would never act on those thoughts, I never had the confidence he wouldn’t.’
Mr Nooshin’s family told his GPs, Dr Tim Stewart and Dr Justine Hall, who appeared at the hearing in Woking, Surrey as witnesses, that his family had a history of depression – and other members of the family had committed suicide.
His widow initially wanted to question the GPs on the possibility that his death could have been prevented but while giving detailed evidence to the hearing, they explained how they offered all the help and support they could.
Dr Hall recalled how Mr Nooshin attended her surgery on one occasion, with his wife and young baby by his side, and tearfully explained his struggles with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
However, he insisted his love for his family would prevent him acting on his dark thoughts.
Mr Nooshin was a highly-regarded film director, and earned a British Independent Film Awards nomination for best debut director for his 2013 film Last Passenger.
The inquest heard work stresses and pressures were a factor in his spiralling mental health.
Two-time Oscar-nominee Joe Walker, editor of Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival, worked with Mr Nooshin on Last Passenger.
Speaking shortly after this death, he said: ‘I joined Omid as film editor of Last Passenger in the final stages of a mountain already climbed.
‘The emaciated finances scrambled for this ambitious thriller would barely dent the craft services budget on a routine movie, but in Omid’s phenomenally inventive hands, that’s something the audience would never spot.
‘I was lucky to share those euphoric upper slopes with Omid and look out to a landscape of peaks, all his to conquer.
‘Omid was a kind, ridiculously talented man. I was so happy he’d found tremendous love with Lucy and then to see the unadulterated joy that shone with the arrival of their daughter.
‘I felt certain one day Omid would look back on a long body of work – he’d worked so bloody hard to get it started. It’s tough to process such a loss, to his family, his friends but also to the audiences who deserved to celebrate his name.’
Concluding the inquest at Surrey Coroner’s Court, Ms Crawford recorded a conclusion of suicide by hanging, with a background of depression, following Mr Nooshin’s death.
‘I record my conclusion on the balance of probabilities that it is more likely than not. In relation to the GP’s care, I have today concluded that the GPs had a good understanding of Mr Nooshin’s mental health, his needs were met and they were engaged in his care.
‘They tailored medication to his needs and made referrals where required.
‘I have heard evidence Mr Nooshin was seen by family following his death and identified the person who died was Omid Nooshin. The cause of death was hanging with a background of depression, and that he did so with the intention of taking his own life.
‘I have also received evidence from the police and they found no evidence of third party involvement or suspicious circumstances. I have also heard evidence he did not leave a note.
‘I am going to record that he had a history of depression and on January 15 2018 he died at his home address after hanging himself… at his home address in Guildford.’