La mémoire éternelle

Saw this at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival

"The Eternal Memory" is a story about Augusto and Paulina have been together for 25 years. Eight years ago, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Both fear the day he no longer recognizes her. The film was one of the best documentaries from this years festival as the film was able to capture the relationship between the couple with heartwarming sequences. Director Maite Alberdi was able to perfectly capture life of having Alzheimer's disease and was able to make the characters very interesting to observe. Alzheimer's disease is a disease that is difficult to cure and it's interesting to see a story revolving around a real couple going through this process and seeing how they are able to resolve their conflicts.

Many archival footages used to describe the setting and situations were purposeful and well informative. Many of the dialogue moments were very interesting as it was very fun to observe and listen to the two main lead characters to talk about their lives and love. Along with other participants, there are some many interesting conversations provided and the tone goes from sometimes comedic and touching at the same time. From someone who has a relative who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, the film does hit home pretty hard.

Overall, it's a great documentary and it's one of the best at Sundance.

Rating: A-

Filmed during the COVID lockdown, this really is a poignant and affecting love story. We are introduced to Augusto Gongora and his wife Paulina Urrutia. The former was an accomplished television journalist in Chile during it's frequently turbulent times, she an acclaimed actress and they have, by 2023, been married for a quarter of a century. What we discover quickly is that he is suffering from Alzheimer's and as the pair continue through the life, both dread what they know to be coming: the day when he will no longer know who she is. This is one of those rare documentaries where the actuality of the political trouble and strife actually serve to deliver us a bit of a breather from the intensity of this most human of stories as the couple wake up each morning without any idea what that day may bring. The lockdown scenario and the hand-held photography ensures that there are few other characters to divert our focus from this intimate and heart-rending depiction of their determination not to allow this disease to prevail any earlier than they have to. Their habits and routines are designed to elicit as many memories and triggers as possible to enable Augusto to hold onto his soul for just that bit longer, but he isn't a King Canute and even throughout the timeframe of this documentary we see that they cannot thwart the inevitable. It's not some melancholy affair, though. Their grandchildren enliven things and this couple are still very much up for the joys of life. There is plenty of laughter to remind us that it's life they want to live, not just an existence they wish to seek. From an observer's perspective we also get a little of the sense of the frustration felt by this man who, as a journalist, was a voracious reader but who can no longer enjoy his vast library. We also see a dedication and affection from Paulina who must also recalibrate from time to time to ensure that she doesn't succumb to the relentless pressures of living such an unpredictable life. This isn't an easy watch, but over ninety minutes we get an insight into just how spirit and a sense of humour can still make a difference.

Absolutely captivating! I was so lost in the story that I had no idea how much time had gone by. The storytelling, as it moves from past to present, felt like an emotional symphony. Understanding Spanish made it so much more moving. Felt like watching The Notebook for the first time and in a documentary. A masterpiece that stirred my emotions like no other film in years.

Moreover, this documentary highlights the profound talent of women directors, showcasing their ability to craft narratives that resonate deeply. It's a testament to the need for more recognition for this exceptional contribution to the film industry. Deserves a much higher rating!

Watching this film I realised what it means to love a person to pieces. Augusto and Paulina have been together for 25 years. Augusto has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and the day is not far when he'll stop recognising her. Covid lockdown makes it worse for the couple because they are cut off from friends and his condition worsens much more quickly because of the isolation. The film uses archival footage to show glimpses from their past. Paulina is much younger to Augusto Góngora, a prominent journalist from when Pinochet was in power. She is the minister of Culture. He's also very popular amongst his friends. Paulina sticks by his side as his condition fails. It's these scenes that are really touching, her dedication and commitment even as he's drifting into the darkness. It's the memory of love that sustains them, and it's this memory which is eternal, even as the physical body deteriorates. Kudos to Maite Alberdi for making this great love story.

It's been said that one of the most cherished hopes for a loving relationship is that its partners inevitably have someone with whom they can grow old together, a time when they can warmly look back on their time as a couple with fondness and treasured memories. But what happens when something occurs that threatens to steal those precious recollections? That's one of the tragedies that can come with various forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer's Disease, a condition that seriously endangered the long-term loving partnership of renowned Chilean author/journalist Augusto Góngora and his wife, actress and former Minister of Culture Paulina Urrutia. But, rather than seeking seclusion in the wake of that diagnosis, Góngora insisted on making his story public, telling the tale of his condition and the diligent, compassionate efforts of Urrutia in acting as his caregiver, particularly in helping him hold on to his memory as fully and as long as possible. Their story is sensitively recounted in writer-director Maite Alberdi's moving documentary, a film that will simultaneously warm and break your heart. In telling their tale, this title explores the importance of preserving one's memories as a measure of one's identity and accomplishments, both personally and professionally. In Góngora's case, that involves the depth of his love for his wife, family and friends, as well as the critical role he played in making the Chilean public aware of the grotesque atrocities that unfolded in the wake of the country's 1973 coup d'etat and the restoration of the nation's cultural and artistic heritage after its return to democracy with the ouster of the Pinochet regime in 1990. Those recollections, in his view, represent a depth of courage that's to be preserved and not lost to the ravages of time and illness. This Oscar nominee for best documentary feature and its designation as one of 2023's top documentaries by the National Board of Review is a striking piece of filmmaking, one that's sure to touch virtually anyone who watches it (but be sure to keep those hankies handy). When we consider what can potentially be lost under circumstances like these, any efforts made to prevent that are truly heroic steps to be commended, and this film does an outstanding job at making that known, both in this case and as a practice to be employed whenever comparable conditions arise.