Action!: Alzheimer’s film set to tour the UK
Gary Thomas is due to showcase his film that draws on his experience of being a carer to his mother who had Alzheimer’s disease in five locations across the UK.
Due to tour from June until November, Thomas’ film captures the reality of being an unpaid carer for a loved one. The picture combines documentary phone footage with dramatized sequences. What’s more, Thomas has also included stories that have been submitted by members of the public who have taken on an unpaid carers role.
One of the main reasons Thomas created the film, otherwise known as ‘Lost Memories’ was to raise awareness for the number of carers who look after their own relatives, as well as showcasing moments of clarity and joy to show that the role doesn’t just come with negative aspects.
Arguably, there is no-one better qualified to complete such a project. Gary Thomas is a writer and filmmaker based in South East England where he has also produced four stage shows. He has worked across several moving image works including Madness as a form of relaxation (2005), Coming out (Dada South) (2006), The Dog and the Palace (2012), Sectioned (2016). In 2020 Gary interviewed a diverse range of disabled artists and other creatives about their practice to enable him to explore his own unique style of working. Gary will also be running workshops in each location for artists and carers to share their stories. Lost Memories national tour is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
Commenting on the news of the tour Gary Thomas, said: ‘I’ve often used my own life as inspiration for writing and my work in film. Being me, when my mother was diagnosed, and even before, I began recording and filming moments of our life that we shared together, both the good times and the difficult emotional times, some in audio, and some as film. I suppose I wanted a record of it, without knowing whether anyone else would see it at all.’
Tour dates for the film are as follows:
- 3rd-7th September at the Worthing Gallery, Colonnade House, 47 Warwick Street, Worthing BN11 3DH
- 17th September to 21st October at Paignton Library , Great Western Road, Paignton TQ4 5AG
- 5th-10th November at the Library at the Lightbox, 1 The glass Works, Barnsley S70 1GW
The film was previously shown at St Anne’s House, Brislington, Bristol. Tickets for future performance times can be obtained by emailing garythomaswriter@gmail.com.
Image: Noom Peerapong
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