“Evergreen”

_{A woman reflects on her feelings towards her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, finding solace in her roots.}

^STILLS

I felt that this was a very fitting tribute to my grandpa, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2007 (and passed away in 2024). The board-and-care facility at which he resided happened to be called “Evergreen,” which was a rather serendipitous coincidence. My family has been dealing with an onslaught of intense emotions over the past decade, and I am incredibly proud of the immense vulnerability and honesty in my mom's performance. I penned an original essay about my experience, entitled “Love is Watching Someone Die,” that won Hilarity for Charity’s national Humans of Dementia competition in 2022.

^{Created as part of the Lateral Thinking for Filmmaking Production Course at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Written, directed, photographed, and edited by Arianna Garcia.}