Archive of films Stories We Tell / Stories We Tell

Canada
2012, 108 min

Section: Documentary Films - Out of Competition
Year: 2013

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.


Synopsis

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.

About the director

Sarah Polley

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.

Contacts

National Film Board of Canada
3155 Cote de Liesse Rd., St-Laurent, H4N 2N4, Montreal, Quebec
Canada
Tel: +1 514 283 9805
Fax: +1 514 496 2573
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.nfb.ca

About the film

Color, HD CAM

Section: Documentary Films - Out of Competition
   
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
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