Documentary Films - Out of Competition 2013 / Stories We Tell / Canada 2012
Talented Canadian actress and director Sarah Polley’s contemplative documentary is a personal yet universal exploration of human memory and memories. Polley courageously interviews members of her own family in an attempt to discover what’s hiding behind unanswered questions left by a mother who departed too soon.
Talented Canadian actress and director Sarah Polley’s documentary debut is a personal yet universal exploration of human memory and of the memories that dwell within each of us, which we cling to as the absolute truth despite their subjectivity. With dauntless courage, Polley investigates the foundations of her own family with detective-like acumen. In her attempt to discover what’s hiding behind a trail of unanswered questions left by a mother who departed too soon, she sensitively reveals strictly guarded family secrets. How well do we know those closest to us – or even ourselves for that matter? The director, who has the rare ability to both talk about love and emotion and to physically convey it, skillfully combines archive material in her documentary with the personal statements of family members, friends, and acquaintances. This contemplative movie, which raises as many questions as it answers, will remain with the viewer long after the lights come back on.
108 min / Color, HD CAM
Director Sarah Polley
/ Screenplay Sarah Polley
/ Dir. of Photography Iris Ng
/ Music Jonathan Goldsmith
/ Editor Michael Munn
/ Producer Anita Lee
/ Production National Film Board of Canada
/ Contact National Film Board of Canada
Sarah Polley (b. 1979, Toronto) is a highly-regarded Canadian actress and director. She first gained recognition playing Nicole in Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter (1997). She has also acted in the movies of Michael Winterbottom (The Claim, 2000), David Cronenberg (eXistenZ, 1999), Hal Hartley (No Such Thing, 2001), Isabel Coixet (My Life Without Me, 2002, KVIFF 2003), and Wim Wenders’ Don’t Come Knocking, which was presented by the actress at the 2005 Karlovy Vary festival. Since 1999 she has been writing scripts and shooting shorts, garnering success at festivals around the world (I Shout Love, 2001). She followed up her 2006 feature debut Away from Her (KVIFF 2007) with Take This Waltz (2011). Stories We Tell is her latest work.
National Film Board of Canada
3155 Cote de Liesse Rd., St-Laurent, H4N 2N4, Montreal, Quebec
Canada
Phone: +1 514 283 9805
Fax: +1 514 496 2573
E-mail: [email protected]
First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.
