practical living to record our living family history until it’ s too late. Storytelling is a powerful way of leaving a legacy for future generations, and filmmaking allows you to record such a vivid portrait of a person, their lifetime of experiences and the simple things, like the way they speak and laugh.
In their own image
Lesley Cunich
Storytelling on film captures the vitality of loved one’ s lives for generations to come.
Simon Cunich interviewed by Patrick Avenell
Simon Cunich first became interested in filmmaking through his father, who was a keen photographer. This passion for visual storytelling quickly took its root, and Simon started making short fictional films as a boy, before developing an interest in documentary filmmaking as he matured. He has worked as a script writer and TV producer, videoing eclectic topics such as food in Venezuela, mountaineering in Nepal and music in Canberra.
In 2015, when his grandmother was diagnosed with dementia, Cunich became determined to document and preserve her story, an experience he found so rewarding he developed the concept into a new business, Heirloom Films. Cunich spoke with Aged Care Insite about his time filming his grandmother and why he thinks it’ s important to retain a lasting print of older Australians’ lives and memories.
ACI: How did you first come up with the idea to make a documentary film about your grandmother?
SC: I was helping my grandparents move house and came across a vast collection of old family photos going back about 100 years, which prompted me to start exploring my family history. It was around this time that my grandma was diagnosed with dementia and I felt compelled to record her life stories sooner rather than later. As a documentary maker, I did this in the best way I know how, through film.
What were your grandmother’ s thoughts on this and the filmmaking process? When I set up the cameras, at first my grandma was a little nervous. But as soon as she realised it was just like having a conversation and telling her favourite stories, she relaxed into her role as film star and we carried on talking and filming for hours. She loves the completed film and has been proud to share it with the whole family.
Why do you think this is an important endeavour? People are becoming increasingly interested in genealogy, yet we often forget
How do you go about making one of these films? The process of making a life story documentary starts by getting to know the individual, through conversations with them and their family. Based on what I learn about their life, I prepare a personalised interview and then come to them, set up a mini studio and start the camera rolling. It’ s just like having a conversation that draws out stories, memories and reflections. Then the work begins: taking the extended footage and crafting it into the most engaging and cinematic film possible, with family photos and a musical score. We can also film additional scenes of the person doing what they love, whether it’ s giving a tour of the garden or cooking their signature dish.
How have you grown as a person while documenting these stories? Even with such vastly different life experiences, I find that people I interview often share common values and life lessons. When it comes down to it, the importance of relationships with loved ones eclipses everything else. When you hear stories from far in the past, told just like they happened last week, it does prompt you to think about how short life is.
Which aged-care providers have you worked with? As a filmmaker, I’ ve worked extensively documenting the Arts Health Institute’ s programs in aged care. This has taken me into facilities all over the country. Last year, I made a documentary for the Whiddon Group about their services in far-west New South Wales and most recently I have made a number of life story documentaries at IRT in Canberra.
How many films have you made so far? We’ re in our first year of operation and we’ ve already made about a dozen films. As more people find out this sort of service exists, the interest just keeps growing. I just got a call from an 89-year-old man who came across the website and wants us to make a documentary about his life, with a particular focus on his passion for creating sculptural artworks. ■
24 agedcareinsite. com. au