Who Are You? (2019)

My short explores an elderly woman's experiences with Alzheimer's disease, and her struggle to understand simple communication. Reality is portrayed alongside the woman's skewed interpretations of it, and this interpretation shapes her real-life interactions. These interactions are represented by the conversations between Neuron ( a brain cell that is affected by Alzheimer's) and Information ( a messenger who tries to deliver messages into the cell). The movie is divided into four chapters, each of which represents one particular Alzheimer's-informed message that is brought in by Information. The messages need to be delivered to Neuron in order to keep the woman safe, but her disease makes it very hard for her to comprehend what is actually going on. Her brain can no longer process the messages, so her reactions end up being the opposite of what would make sense. Unknowingly and unintentionally, she keeps putting herself in danger. As each chapter progresses, the importance of each message becomes incrementally more crucial. The movie portrays important yet still overlooked aspects of Alzheimer's, such mood swings, the therapeutic importance of music, and the inability for the sufferer to perform even the simplest tasks. Patience and compassion go a long way in improving the quality of life for those who suffer from Alzheimer's disease.