The only way to explain it for McDougall was that this was a story, dreamt up on the McDougall family farm but blurring a close line to reality, that she felt must be told.

Just a Farmer is a story about a newly widowed mother, whose husband died by suicide, left to also care for an alcoholic father-in-law and a failing farm.

But McDougall has not wanted such a tough story line to all be dark - she had to "find light in the shade".

"Not many people get to talk about loved ones lost to suicide. Once someone dies to suicide, there is still so much silence and the stigma is still there," McDougall said.

"Women that lose their husbands have such a different experience because wives tend to get blamed...only this type of death you often never know the reason.

"There are still twists and turns, there are still light-hearted moments and it ends on hope. The community and family need to find a way to keep living, they can't dwell, and it's about moving forward in love and hope and coming together."

Mental health and suicide prevention in rural communities is a space in which McDougall has long worked to make a difference. The McDougalls are behind Mellow in the Yellow, the epic annual event in the Tatyoon district to celebrate Australian farming communities in a flowering canola crop with funds raised to strengthen farmer health and well-being.

Lives lost to suicide among Australian farmers is about 94 per cent higher than non-farmers, National Rural Health Alliance data shows, and that one farmer dies by suicide every 10 days.

Ballarat has a stubbornly high suicide rate among males that is about 40 per cent higher than the national average.

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McDougall said if she could, she might have been a psychologist or doctor but dyslexia has proven an ongoing barrier. Her strength is in creativity and, while events in this space have grown, Mellow in the Yellow was a pioneer for the region in reaching a huge audience in promoting mental health conversations in farming.

"Not a writer" until feeling compelled to sit down and channel her storytelling into a film script, McDougall has become a writer and publicist for this project.

McDougall even talked her way into an advanced acting class with Damian Walshe-Howling that she was by no means qualified to do so that she could have the skills to portray her protagonist Alison. (McDougall quipped the 12-month course was cheaper than hiring an actress).

All while helping to run a farm and juggling motherhood.

"I love stories and I love people stories - I am fascinated by humans and how they interact," McDougall said. "I can't spell but I have heaps of stories in my head. I didn't know the particulars of how they would come out."

A key part of the process for McDougall was talking to women who had lost partners to suicide, such as Ballarat's Kristy Steenhuis.

A friend had mentioned she chatted to Steenhuis, who McDougall knew through horses but was unaware of her story and her work.

Steenhuis has become part of Australia's leading suicide postvention body StandBy Support After Suicide in setting up supports across western Victoria in partnership with Wellways the past 18 months.

Almost 20 years have passed since Steenhuis lost her husband Matt to suicide. Steenhuis was 28 years old with two young children, aged five and 10, and has been working in post-vention support advocacy since.

She has been one of the key support figures on set for the movie, supporting cast and crew in navigating scenes, especially those directly related to the character Alison's husband's death.

Most of the supporting cast were people from the Tatyoon and Ararat communities: the Tatyoon minister officiates the funeral scene; Auskick children are in football scenes. Crew also had a strong Tatyoon presence, such as community-based catering on-set.

For McDougall and Steenhuis, this was about more than saving on costs but authentically showing the ripple effects on a rural community. Steenhuis said this might only be an hour or so from Ballarat, but access to supports could be vastly different.

"This [film] is so important because it really portrays the impact of suicide and post-vention. It is really authentic and shows the needs for additional supports," Steenhuis said.

"...This is a message. The McDougalls, being farmers, know a lot of impacted people. Leila is amazingly passionate and just wants to help. She believes in this so much.

"This is a big budget-style film, it's not just a backyard show."

Just a Farmer has a big-name cast with the likes of Robert Taylor (Longmire, The Matrix), Trevor Jamieson (Rabbit Proof Fence, Ayaan) and Joel Jackson, who played Peter Allan in the 2015 television mini series.

Walshe-Howling (Underbelly, Blue Heelers), McDougall's acting teacher, also has a role and actor Simon Lyndon (Chopper, The Thin Red Line) as director even sought advice from his mate, Hollywood star Hugh Jackman.

McDougall's six-year-old daughter Vivian portrays her on-screen daughter Sally in what McDougall said showed a bond that you could not fake.

Vivian was under strict child safety laws that demanded McDougall re-write a script for children on set without graphic scenes or swearing.

Her son was also on set and relishing the chance to watch the film crew at work.

McDougall said there had to be clear boundaries to shelter her children to exactly what was being portrayed in the film and, for example, teaching Vivian when she sees herself on scene that it was not her, but Sally who she was playing.

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McDougall said Lyndon's experience as an actor-director was invaluable as he could see the emotional toll some scenes were taking on actors.

One scene was made in two takes, filmed four weeks apart, and McDougall said the first time she was fine but the second take rocked her for awhile. In one scene, McDougall blacked out and does not have memory of her portrayal.

She could only imagine what the emotional toll might be life for someone in her character Alison's shoes.

Just a Farmer has a gala screening event in Ballarat's Regent Cinemas on Wednesday, March 20, the day before the film is released nationally - against the likes of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which is a fact McDougall said felt surreal.

The Ballarat premiere will feature a live question and answer forum with McDougall and Lyndon. StandBy Support After Suicide and Wellways will have support resources in the cinema.

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis support, phone Lifeline 13 11 14.

Help is also available, but not limited, via the following organisations. The key message is you are not alone.