Dementia and Us
Rusthall Community Cinema’s short film Dementia and Us was first shown on 26th February 2022 as part of a fund-raising evening for Dementia UK.
Dementia and Us highlights the stories of local people who have cared for family and friends with the condition and was made by members of the Community Cinema.
Experiences shared include the deep sadness of a first Christmas without a parent who died from dementia. A support worker remembers how 1960s music uplifted and transformed a patient in hospital. A nephew pays tribute to his feisty aunt, a former teacher whose memory loss left her feeling constantly alone.
The film celebrates special people who, on their journey through the illness, taught their family and friends so much about love, understanding and how they saw the world.
Acclaimed documentary film-maker and educator Jeanne Pope is among those who contributed, with a moving celebration of her relationship with her mother. Local musician Ben Doran Burke composed the theme music.
Dementia and Us, which is 28 minutes long, is available to show at community cinemas and other settings. Contact Eugene Gardner eugene@rusthallcinema.club
Comments on the film
An outstanding tribute to those with dementia…most touching to hear the stories of family members living alongside them, offering the love and understanding necessary to help them cope….
It was amazing…the film really got to the heart of the matter….
The openness and honesty with which the participants shared their feelings was astounding…