Falling Apart

Falling Apart

Rindt, Tara

Falling Apart is a short documentary film about a woman battling dementia. Joyce Hunt, a 91-year-old resident of Wichita, Kansas, reflects on the traumatic loss of her first child, Stevie, who passed away at 10 months old. The film explores how dementia and Alzheimer's Disease complicate the process of storytelling. Its approach centers on Hunt's present reality—the memories fade, but the grief from her child's loss lingers, even 70 years later. Flashback scenes of fragmented and abstract memories illustrate the disjointed nature of Hunt's storytelling. Some tasks are repeated slowly, mimicking how Hunt navigates her grief. Falling Apart also delves into the question of identity beyond memory, emphasizing that one's sense of self persists despite the erosion of recollection. The film raises awareness about a growing, yet often overlooked, community, where history quietly slips away with no cure in sight.

2025