Experiencing Interruptions?

Hoan Alone: Personal Stories from the Bridge

Milwaukee’s Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge is the crown over Summerfest and has become one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. But it’s also a popular site for suicides. This animated documentary explores the issues of the bridge and suicide through three intimate interviews. Follow animator, Aaron Johnson, as he shares the stories of Dave, John, and Mary.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xrA495uA6-Y

Watch on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/357696140

Watch on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.johnson/posts/10162092682275114?notif_id=1567769189579282&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic

  • Aaron Johnson
    Director
  • Aaron Johnson
    Writer
  • Aaron Johnson
    Producer
  • Aaron Johnson
    Key Cast
    "Aaron Johnson"
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 6, 2018
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Milwaukee Short Film Festival
    Milwaukee
    United States
    September 7, 2018
    Milwaukee Premiere
    Audience Favorite and Best Director
  • The Impact DOCS Awards

    July 25, 2018
    Award of Merit Special Mention: Documentary Short
  • Sioux City International Film Festival
    Sioux City
    United States
    September 15, 2018
    Sioux City
  • Big Water Film Festival
    Ashland, Wisconsin
    United States
    November 7, 2018
    Honorable Mention
  • Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
    Chagrin Falls
    United States
    October 3, 2018
  • Strasburg Film Festival
    Strasburg
    United States
    November 9, 2018
  • Twin Cities Film Fest
    St. Louis Park, MN
    United States
    October 17, 2018
  • Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
    Hot Springs, Arkansas
    United States
    October 19, 2018
  • Awareness Fest
    Los Angeles, California
    United States
    September 27, 2018
  • St. Louis International Film Festival
    St. Louis
    United States
    November 1, 2018
  • AnimaSyros International Animation Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    September 26, 2018
    Greece
  • Eau Claire World Film Festival
    Eau Claire
    United States
    October 19, 2018
    Audience Award for Best Documentary Short Film
  • East Lansing Film Festival
    East Lansing
    United States
    November 1, 2018
    Best Documentary Film
  • Weyauwega International Film Festival
    Weyauwega
    United States
    November 10, 2018
    Best Short Documentary
  • Independent Shorts Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    October 9, 2018
    Official Selection: Best Documentary Short
  • Independent Shorts Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    October 9, 2018
    Platinum Award: Best Animation Short
  • Independent Shorts Awards
    Los Angeles
    United States
    October 9, 2018
    Official Selection: Best Director (Male)
  • CutOut Fest International Animation and Digital Art Festival
    Querétaro
    Mexico
    November 1, 2018
    Mexico
  • Independent Film Night at the Newtown Theatre
    Newtown
    United States
    November 8, 2018
  • Green Bay Film Festival
    Green Bay
    United States
    March 1, 2019
    Audience Choice Best Documentary Short
  • Lift-Off Sessions
    Pinewood Studios
    United Kingdom
    December 1, 2018
    United Kingdom
  • God Country Family Christian Film Festival
    Eau Claire
    United States
    December 7, 2018
  • Life Screenings International Film Festival
    Clermont
    United States
    November 18, 2018
    Florida
  • Inshort Film Festival
    Lagos
    Nigeria
    December 20, 2018
    Nigerian Premiere
  • Beloit International Film Festival
    Beloit
    United States
    February 22, 2019
  • Fargo Film Festival
    Fargo
    United States
    March 19, 2019
  • Wildwood Film Festival
    Appleton
    United States
    March 22, 2019
    Best Animation
  • First City Film Festival
    Leavenworth
    United States
    March 21, 2019
    Best Animated
  • First Friday Film Festival
    Kansas City
    United States
    February 1, 2019
  • Door County Short Film Festival
    Sister Bay
    United States
    February 16, 2019
    Audience Choice Award
  • Political Edge Film Festival
    Milwaukee
    United States
    February 2, 2019
    Best Documentary Short
  • Central Michigan International Film Festival
    Mount Pleasant
    United States
    February 13, 2019
  • FilmFest52
    Bethel
    United States
    February 6, 2019
  • Speechless Film Festival
    Mankato
    United States
    March 29, 2019
  • Front Range International Film Festival
    Longmont
    United States
    February 23, 2019
  • Mercersburg Film Festival
    Mercersburg
    United States
    February 16, 2019
  • Brightside Film Festival
    Jersey City
    United States
    March 1, 2019
  • Benton Park Film Festival
    St. Louis
    United States
    March 29, 2019
  • Grand Teton Film Festival
    Rexburg
    United States
    May 31, 2019
    Honorable Mention
  • SDC Film Festival
    Santee
    United States
    February 23, 2019
    Best Animation Edit
  • Sunscreen Film Festival
    St. Petersburg
    United States
    April 25, 2019
    Best Documentary Short
  • Wisconsin Film Festival
    Madison
    United States
    April 4, 2019
  • Oregon Documentary Film Festival
    Wilsonville
    United States
    March 23, 2019
  • Louisiana International Film Festival
    Baton Rouge
    United States
    April 4, 2019
  • Tallahassee Film Festival
    Tallahassee
    United States
    April 5, 2019
  • West Chester Film Festival
    West Chester, PA
    United States
    April 26, 2019
  • Milestone Worldwide Film Festival
    Eboli
    Italy
    February 28, 2019
    Italy
    Best Documentary
  • Port Orchard Film Festival
    Port Orchard
    United States
    May 3, 2019
  • Kansas City Film Festival International
    Kansas City
    United States
    April 10, 2019
  • Detroit International Festival of Animation
    Detroit
    United States
    April 5, 2019
  • KWCFilmFest
    Owensboro
    United States
    April 6, 2019
  • Lens Film Fest
    San Luis Obispo
    United States
    March 12, 2019
    Award Winner
  • New Jersey International Film Festival
    New Brunswick
    United States
    June 1, 2019
  • StoryMode Independent Short Film Awards
    Pueblo
    United States
    April 12, 2019
    Best Picture and Best Documentary Short
  • Dox on the Fox
    Batavia
    United States
    April 26, 2019
    Award Winner - Midwest Fox
  • Sandy Dennis Film Festival
    Hastings
    United States
    April 26, 2019
  • Columbus International Film and Animation Festival
    Columbus
    United States
    March 22, 2019
  • Etowah Film Festival
    Canton
    United States
    May 23, 2019
  • Friday Night Flicks
    Tacoma
    United States
    April 12, 2019
    "Put Eyes on What's Working" Award
  • Sands Film Festival
    Jacksonville Beach
    United States
    April 13, 2019
  • Doc Sunback Film Festival
    Mulvane
    United States
    June 13, 2019
  • Kanab Film Fest
    Kanab
    United States
    April 11, 2019
  • Indie Film Wisconsin Film Festival
    Watertown
    April 21, 2019
    Best Animated Short
  • Ebb & Flow Festival
    Baton Rouge
    United States
    April 7, 2019
  • Adrian International Film Festival
    Adrian
    United States
    May 18, 2019
  • Lincoln Short Film Festival
    Lincoln
    United States
    May 5, 2019
  • The Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival
    Vero Beach
    United States
    June 5, 2019
  • LABELED Film Festival
    Salt Lake City
    United States
    May 11, 2019
  • Global Impact Film Festival
    Washington, DC
    United States
    August 23, 2019
  • Door Kinetic Arts Festival
    Baileys Harbor
    United States
    June 9, 2019
    Best Wisconsin Film Award
  • Prescott Film Festival
    Prescott
    United States
    June 15, 2019
  • Covellite International Film Festival
    Butte
    United States
    June 19, 2019
  • Deptford AnimaDocs
    London
    United Kingdom
    July 13, 2019
  • Compassion Film Festival
    Carbondale
    United States
    August 9, 2019
  • Colorado International Activism Film Festival
    Denver
    United States
    July 28, 2019
    Finalist
  • Say It Loud Film Festival
    Baltimore
    United States
    July 19, 2019
  • Royal Starr Film Festival
    Royal Oak
    United States
    September 6, 2019
    Best Animated Feature
  • Lake County Film Festival
    Grayslake
    United States
    September 5, 2019
  • Moorpark Film Festival
    Moorpark
    United States
    August 23, 2019
    Best Documentary Short
  • Threadbare Mitten Film Festival
    Lansing
    United States
    September 5, 2019
  • Film Festival at Browns Point
    Tacoma
    United States
    August 2, 2019
    "Put Eyes on What's Working" Award
  • Central Florida Film Festival
    Tavares
    United States
    September 6, 2019
  • Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival
    Washington, DC
    United States
    July 29, 2019
  • Las Vegas Global Film Convention
    Las Vegas
    United States
    September 24, 2019
  • Four Corners Film Festival
    Farmington
    United States
    September 9, 2019
  • FilmAid Film Festival
    Nairobi
    Kenya
    August 19, 2019
    Kenyan
  • Chicago Southland International Film Festival
    University Park
    United States
    September 5, 2019
  • Great Lakes State Film Festival
    Bay City
    United States
    August 9, 2019
  • Hudson Valley Film Festival
    Warwick, NY
    United States
    August 22, 2019
  • Lift-Off Animation and Music Video Showcase
    London
    United Kingdom
    August 25, 2019
  • Red Rose Film Festival
    Lancaster
    November 1, 2019
  • Jacksonville Film Festival
    Jacksonville
    United States
    November 4, 2019
  • ICONA 2019 [Animation Festival]
    Kerkira
    Greece
    November 29, 2019
  • Greanhorn Film Festival

    United States
    December 1, 2019
Distribution Information
  • Aaron Johnson
    Country: United States
Director Biography - Aaron Johnson

After graduating from Columbia College Chicago in 1998, Aaron has gone on to a 20-year career in animation. Outside of his daytime professional work, Aaron has remained active in his independent filmmaking pursuits. Johnson has been recognized nationally for his independent animation including awards for animated television commercials.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Time’s up. Apple pencils down. Two months ago I challenged myself to see what kind of story I could tell in a limited amount of time about a difficult subject matter. Six weeks of my spare time has yielded an eight and a half minute animated documentary exploring the issues of suicide and Milwaukee’s Hoan Bridge. Although this was largely a solo effort, I have to thank Dave, John, and Mary for trusting me with their very personal stories. I also have to thank Dr. Tony Thrasher and Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division’s eagerness and support of this project. A big shout out to Lawton Hall for reaching out and his incredible post scoring work on this film. And lastly I have to thank Patty Rosek-Johnson for her infinite support and for letting me disappear, domestically, on many nights and weekends in order to meet my deadline.