Thursday, 26 October 2017

A NEW SHORT FILM ABOUT DEMENTIA - SNEAK PEAK!








I always get excited when I hear about a new film about caregiving concerns. Today, I'd like to suggest that we all mark our calendars on November 6 with a reminder to watch the release of J. Costello, a touching eight-minute film about a charming man falling into the wilderness of dementia. J. Costello is written by Liam Hollywood and produced by David C. Murphy.  

I had a chance to interview David Murphy about the film and here's our conversation.

Q: What or who was the driving force behind this project? 
A: 1.  The writer of the film Liam Hollywood came up with the idea to tell a touching story that shined a light on how dementia affects the sufferer and their loved ones.  A topic that him and I, the director of J. Costello, had a strong personal connection to and felt passionately about due to our own experiences having family members with Alzheimer's.  We had worked before with John McQuiston, who plays the main character John in the film, on a short in 2015.  He is a brilliant actor and with us eager to work with him again, Liam wrote the character specifically with him in mind.

Q: Do you have collaborative relationships with Alzheimers Associations in the UK or elsewhere?
A:  The short was produced independently from any Alzheimer's organisations, however we are in talks with several UK-based charities to see how the film could help them in their awareness efforts.
Q: What would you like viewers to take away from your film?
A: It's hard to get someone with Alzheimer's to understand what is happening to them but the main thing is to be there to support them. 
Q: How would you like to see your film used by families affected by Alzheimer's or dementia? 
A: The film shows the comfort that dementia sufferers can get from doing something they love.  Singing is something that the character John loves to do and when he is on stage it is like he doesn't have dementia at all.  It's a comfort and escape for him.  I hope families affected by dementia can be inspired to find these escapes for their loved ones.
Q: Is there anything else you would like readers of The Caregivers' Living Room to know about your film? 
A: Our social media pages are @JCostelloFilm on Twitter and facebook.com/jcostellofilm. Stream or download it from our website on November 6th and share with friends and family!  Watch the trailer here. 

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