Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia that causes memory and behavioral problems. According to the World Health Organization, about 7.7 million people worldwide are diagnosed with dementia each year, and that number continues to rise. There is a need for awareness campaigns in our society to instill empathy and care for people who are Alzheimer`s. A list of popular documentary and feature films about Alzheimer’s can help you both learn more about it and understand them better emotionally!
Still Alice
This real-life story about how Alice Howland, a linguistics professor at Columbia, and her family deal with her diagnosis of familial Alzheimer’s disease at age 50, is both heartfelt and powerful. Julianne Moore won the Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for the best actress in a leading role Alice Howland.
The Savages
Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman play siblings in this tragic comedy about adult children caring for a parent with dementia. Laura Linney was Oscar-nominated for Best Actress, and Tamara Jenkins was Oscar-nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
Live twice, Love once
Live twice, Love once is a Spanish comedy on Netflix that tells the story of Emilio (Oscar Martinez), who has diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and together with his family embark on a quest to reunite him with his childhood crush.
Iris: A Memoir of Iris Murdoch
Based on the book Elegy for Iris by John Bayley, this movie tells the true story of English novelist Iris Murdoch’s descent into Alzheimer’s disease and the unconditional love of Bayley, her partner of 40 years.
Genius of Marian
The Genius of Marian is a visually rich, emotionally complex story about one family’s struggle to come to terms with Alzheimer’s disease. After Pam White is diagnosed at age 61 with early-onset Alzheimer’s, life begins to change, slowly but irrevocably, for Pam and everyone around her. Pam’s adult children find ways to show their love and support while mourning the gradual loss of their mother. Her eldest son, Banker, records their conversations, allowing Pam to share memories of childhood and of her mother, the renowned painter Marian Williams Steele, who had Alzheimer’s herself.
Alive Inside
Documentary Alive Inside explores how music touches and awakens people with dementia and other disorders, reconnecting their sense of self. With contributions from neurologist and author Oliver Sacks and musician Bobby McFerrin, the film takes viewers along on social worker Dan Cohen’s quest to bring music to the 16,000 nursing homes and assisted-living facilities across the United States.
I Remember Better When I Paint
I Remember Better When I Paint, narrated by Olivia de Havilland, is the first international documentary about the positive impact of art and other creative therapies on people with Alzheimer’s and how these approaches can change the way we look at the disease. Among those who are featured are noted doctors and Yasmin Aga Khan, president of Alzheimer’s Disease International and daughter of Rita Hayworth, who had Alzheimer’s.
The Alzheimer’s project – HBO
This four-part documentary series focuses on the causes, symptoms, treatment and possible cures of the progressive brain disorder, and takes a close look at the effects the fatal disease has on both the patients and their loved ones. The series is part of a larger project, which includes 15 supplemental short films, a website and a national outreach campaign, to bring forth a new understanding of the disease.
