Screening of Groundbreaking Documentary on Improving the Quality of Life for Alzheimer’s Patients
7:00 p.m. December 6, 2010
Doors Open at 6:30 p.m.
Salt Lake City Main Library:
Open to the Public at No Charge
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. November 10, 2010 – Alzheimer’s Association Utah Chapter in partnership with AARP Utah and the SLC Film Center will host a screening of the documentary, “I Remember Better When I Paint”, a groundbreaking film that demonstrates how creative arts can restore quality of life to those with Alzheimer’s. Utah ranks #2 in the nation for the number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
The screening will take place Monday, December 6, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Salt Lake City Main Library Auditorium (210 East 400 South). The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The film, “I Remember Better When I Paint,” produced by French Connection Films and the Hilgos Foundation in France and the U.S., was co-directed by Berna Huebner and Eric Ellena. Narrated by Olivia de Havilland, this international documentary details innovative art therapies, including painting, drawing and museum visits, which contribute to an improved quality of life and a restoration of some degree of memory and personality in Alzheimer’s patients.
The inspiration for the film came from the lively and colorful art created by the painter Hilgos late in her career when she had profound memory loss. The film grew out of a poignant moment several years ago when Berna visited her mother in a nursing home. Berna asked, “Wouldn’t you like to paint again, Mom?” And her mother unexpectedly responded, “Yes, I remember better when I paint.”
Berna then enlisted art students to help her mother paint again. Berna also established the Hilgos Foundation that awards grants to art students who work with individuals with Alzheimer disease. Once an accomplished painter known as Hilgos, Berna’s mom regained a capacity for exchange and communication and painted during the next few years until her death at age 93.
This film also features a poignant interview with the evening’s guest of honor Princess Yasmin Aga Kahn whose mother, Rita Hayworth, found refuge in painting as an individual with early onset Alzheimer’s. Released in late 2009, the documentary has been screened at universities, film festivals, and art institutions worldwide. A trailer to the film is available at: www.irememberbetterwhenipaint.com
A panel discussion following the screening will include Berna Huebner, Dr. Richard D. King, (Director, Alzheimer's Image Analysis Laboratory Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging and Research, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Utah) and Holladay resident Kathryn Romney, who has early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The discussion will focus on the impact of art therapy on both patient and loved ones; how creative activities engage areas of the brain that are not damaged by the disease and reawaken a sense of personality, identity and dignity.
Alzheimer’s Association Utah Chapter dedicates its research, caring and services efforts in Utah to a world without Alzheimer's disease. www.alz.org/utah
AARP Utah works to enhance the quality of life for all as we age, leading positive social change and delivering value to members through information, advocacy and service. www.aarp.org/states/ut
The SLC Film Center brings the world of film to local audiences through free community screenings and discussions, outreach programs, and visiting artists and professionals. www.slcfilmcenter.org
Press and media contact: Mary Kay Lazarus: 801.209.3029; mkl@mklpr.com
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