Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Carole Mikita ReportingDrama now on the big screen. The focus on film shifted this evening from Park City to Salt Lake City for the Sundance Film Festival, at the Rose Wagner Center.
The subject of tonight's film is familiar to millions of families, Alzheimer's. The script for "Away from Her" came from a short story the actress-turned-director adapted for the screen.
Julie Christie stars in "Away from Her" as a woman facing the inevitable loss of memory. She makes the decision to leave her husband and move into a special home for Alzheimer's patients.
Sarah Polley, screenwriter, director, "Away from Her": "It's starting to get dealt with in film and in the media, but maybe not enough and I think it's something we're all having to address in our lives."
Sarah Polley has gone from child actor to filmmaker with a premier at the festival, and in attendance Utah's governor and the executive director of the Sundance Institute.
Sarah Polley: "I was particularly thrilled when I heard our Governor, Jon Huntsman, say in his state of the state address that he wanted Utah to be the destination of all film makers, and I thought to myself, ‘Well, we're doing our part.'"
Her film has a great launch at Sundance. Sarah Polley hopes the audience will share her vision.
Sarah Polley: "Ultimately, I hope they feel it's a love story. I feel like it celebrates a kind of love and devotion that we don't often see celebrated in film."
"Away from Her" has screenings in Park City, Saturday and Sunday and Monday in Ogden. The Festival continues through Sunday the 28th.
