Older woman and nurse with badge sitting, exchanging glances.

Chagrin Valley

(Chagrin Valley)

It looks like an American suburb of the 1950s. The residents of Chagrin Valley, a facility for elderly people with dementia, sit in the front yards of their simulated homes and gather in a plaza over which the sun never sets.

“Why am I here?” asks 90-year-old Florence. When her memory serves her, she likes her new home. She appreciates the dedication of the care givers with whom she likes to converse. Talking to people with memory loss includes daily reassurances about what day it is or one’s own age. In addition to the disappearing mental worlds, the film also records the hard work of the employees, many of whom are from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, whose night shifts are followed by more work at home. Housekeeping carts rattle through the idyllic scenery of a roofed small town, and its inhabitants together create a world in which some sink deeper into the past, while others keep dreaming of a better future.

Atlas – Large Hall, Ke Štvanici 371/4, Praha 8

Discussion
Hana Čížková, Reminiscence Center
Anna Koucká, Moderator
Blanka Jirkovská, Reminiscence Center
tickets

Světozor Cinema – Large Hall, Vodičkova 41, Praha 1

Discussion
Nathalie Berger, Director
Anna Koucká, Moderator
tickets
TitleChagrin Valley
Original TitleChagrin Valley
Original LanguageEnglish
Subtitles Czech
PremiéraCzech premiere
Film typeFull-length documentary
Year of Production2023
Country of OriginSwitzerland
Length62 min.
Tags Health, Work, North America
Director Nathalie Berger

Others Films from category Communities

Chagrin Valley