Polley unravels the paradoxes to reveal the essence of family. Prior to watching the trailer of stories we tell, i watched an interview of sarah polley, discussing this film. She playfully interviews and interrogates a cast of characters of varying reliability. Sarah polley explores a family mystery in stories we tell. Sarah ellen polley oc born january 8, 1979 is a canadian actress, writer, director, producer and political activist. Stories we tell roadside attractions booksamillion. Joan didion famously wrote, we tell ourselves stories in order to live. She had discovered a few years earlier that her biological father was not actually the person she knew as her father. Sarah polley s extraordinary stories we tell is a similar documentary, in which the filmmaker explores the intricacies of her family with great intimacy. Roadside attractionsrex features but there was one puzzle that did not go away. In stories we tell, sarah polley explores but does not try to resolve.
In the 2012 documentary film stories we tell, it was revealed that he was also the biological father of the films director, sarah polley, through an affair with polley s married mother diane elizabeth polley. When actressturnedfilmmaker sarah polley premiered her feature film, stories we tell, on the fall festival circuit in 2012, no one knew exactly what to expect, even polley. Stories are our way of coping, of creating shape out of. Sarah polley s fascinating documentary, stories we tell, is ostensibly about her mother, diane polley. Sarah polley s portrait of her parents marriage is a gripping tale, full of richness, tenderness and emotional complexity. When sarah polley decided to make a documentary about the mother she lost as a girl, she had no idea of the extraordinary family secret she would unearth.
Susy buchan, mark polley, john buchan, joanna polley, harry gulkin. Stories we tell is a moving and incredibly candid family portrait as filmmaker, sarah polley, explores the mysteries surrounding her mother. Stories we tell, the third feature film and first documentary from the 34yearold canadian actressturneddirector sarah polley, also pivots. Stories we tell is a loveletter to her mother and father. Sarah polley, the director of stories we tell, discusses her film. Sarah polley explores a family mystery in stories we tell the.
A film that excavates layers of myth and memory to find the elusive truth at the core of a family of storytellers. That included harry gulkin, the montreal film producer known for lies my father told me and a close friend of ms. In stories we tell interviewt sarah polley haar vader, haar broers, zussen en andere familieleden en ondervraagt hen over haar inmiddels overleden moeder. Polley is both filmmaker and detective as she investigates the secrets behind a family of storytellers. Through its intricate structure, stories we tell 2012 by sarah polley playing in the sweet hereafter, exotica, and existenz examines the elusive nature of. In stories we tell, polley turns the camera on her surviving family members and a range of family friends to learn more about her mother and what. June 22, 20 by valorie grace hallinan in books, memoir, movies, nonfiction tags.
Stories we tell explores the elusive nature of truth and memory, but at its core is a deeply personal film about how our narratives shape and define us as individuals and families. She serves as both filmmaker and detective as she investigates the secrets kept by a family of storytellers. Sarah polley s film is more creative nonfiction than documentary. Marie murphy, cathy gulkin, harry gulkin, robert macmillan, joanna polley, sarah polley, michael polley, mark polley, susy buchan, john. Sarah polley s documentary stories we tell has been lauded by critics for its invigorating storytelling and the compelling way it unveils a deepseated family secret. Sarah polley looks back on how stories we tell changed her. But with stories we tell sarah polley proves to be a masterful storyteller in whats unquestionably one of the best films of the year. Her playful investigation into the elusive truth buried within the contradictions of a family of storytellers paints a profound portrait of. In stories we tell, the actress and director sarah polley sat down with relatives and friends to talk about her mother, who died when ms. Sarah voiced a concern she had during the making of stories we tell.
An eccentric ball of energy with the appearance of an open book, she might have really been a big mystery and her secrets could cause a rift throughout all those connected. Stories we tell premiered august 29, 2012 at the 69th venice international film festival, then played at the 39th telluride film festival and the 37th. There are a few trailers floating around but i like this one the best. Sarah polley reveals more about herself than she may have realised in this complex documentary loveletter to her parents, writes peter bradshaw. Stories we tell revolves firstly around diane polley, the directors energetic mother and sometimes stage actress, who died of cancer when polley was eleven years old. Stories we tell unpeels the complex life of diane, an aspiring actress and mother, and the shockwaves that a series of impulsive actions unleash on her. She says that everyone she asked to sign on did, except an aunt who nonetheless was supportive. Stories we tell, written and directed by sarah polley the new. She playfully interviews and interrogates a cast of characters of varying reliability, eliciting refreshingly candid, yet mostly. Beginning as a rather traditional biography of her late mother it gradually transforms into a far richer documentary that touches on identity, memory, the fallibility of truth and the power of storytelling to create a deeply personal yet universal work. A film that excavates layers of myth and memory to find the elusive. Stories we tell sarah polley s documentary stories we tell finds the directoractress exploring a family secret. And stories we tell, five years in the making, is no exception.
Academy award nominee sarah polley s extraordinary stories we tell is a deeply moving portrait of a family dealing with a legacy of secrets and lies, and the elusive nature of truth itself. In stories we tell, sarah polley knows how to tell a story. Stories we tell works a unique twist on the documentary format and allows the audiences into the life of the family and friends who knew the filmmakers mother, diane polley. She remembers staying up until the small hours talking about books. The following is a guest post from filmmaker sarah polley about her new film, stories we tell today in venice my latest film, stories we tell, will be screening for the first time. She was lovely, as she answered the interviewers questions concerning this movie. Sarah polleys 20 stories we tell begins directly with sarah presenting her storytellers, who are all part of the family. Family arguments often come down to who owns the narrative, or which version is decided upon as the true one. Stories we tell is a highly personal documentary in which she examines her mothers legacy as seen through her siblings, her father and other members of. Polley first garnered attention as a child actress for her role as ramona quimby in the television series ramona, based on beverly clearys books. In stories we tell, an inspired, genretwisting new film, oscarnominated writerdirector sarah polley discovers that the truth depends on whos telling it.
The grainy, blurry shot and the picturewithinpicture framing emphasize ambivalence and point of view in the vagaries of truth. Sarah polley reveals moviemaking secret about stories we. Sarah polleys family secret, pieced deftly together. Stories we tell is a 2012 canadian documentary film written and directed by sarah polley and produced by the national film board of canada nfb.
In stories we tell, sarah polley plays with the documentary format to explore the nature of memory and storytelling, crafting a thoughtful, compelling narrative. To mark the guardians vod release of stories we tell, sarah polley s documentary about her own familys secrets and stories, we asked readers to send us their favourite photos of their parents. Until now, thanks to the extraordinary decency of many people including some journalists who have known the story for years and kept it secret i have been able to keep its contents under wraps. With michael polley, john buchan, mark polley, joanna polley. It is a cinememoir of sarahs parents, an extended familys portrait of itself. In her late 20s, sarah polley learned that her mother had had an affair with a film producer in montreal, and that, although she was raised by. Stories we tell by sarah polley sarah polley, michael. Sarah polley s documentary stories we tell finds the directoractress exploring a family secret. Sarah polley looks back on how stories we tell changed her life.
Sarah grew up with a family joke that she did not look anything like her. While the canadian star, known for such wideranging roles as the plucky protagonist in the kids series ramona and a heartbreaking teen in atom egoyans tragic drama the sweet hereafter, had already. The film explores her familys secretsincluding one intimately related to polley s own identity. Stories we tell, written and directed by sarah polley. In this inspired, genretwisting film, oscarnominated writerdirector sarah polley discovers that the truth depends on whos telling it. She simply asks her family to tell the story, from the beginning, of her mother diane. She was concerned that this film would not be interesting enough for an audience.
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