As part of our series of events to mark National Carers Week 2022, Shetland Carers is pleased to present a private screening of Florian Zeller’s ‘The Father’, featuring Oscar winners Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman. A powerful and disquieting look at the world through the eyes of someone with dementia, Zeller’s directorial debut centres on a man (Hopkins) who refuses all assistance from his daughter (Colman) as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

If you are one of our registered carers or are caring, unpaid, for a loved one who couldn’t manage without your support, we would like to welcome you, free of charge, to this private screening. We know that, for some, the film may deal with subject matter that is incredibly raw and close to home. It is not what you could call easy viewing or light entertainment, and the decision to show it wasn’t without hesitation. In the end, we opted to screen it because of its unprecedented and powerful narrative approach, which places the viewer in the mind of a man (Hopkins) who is trying as best he can to navigate a reality that is full of contradiction, fear, and inconsistency, whilst trying all the while not to betray the turmoil in his own mind (the perspective of the viewer).

If you tend to avoid films that are emotionally taxing, or are living with/caring for someone with dementia and such a topic is still too raw for you, this film won’t be suitable for you. If, however, you feel ready or able to explore these themes, and want to see how art can make a statement about a neurodegenerative condition and its lived experience that is far more eloquent than any training course, leaflet, manual, or academic paper, we would recommend the film highly to you.

Those wishing to see the film should meet us next to the main staircase in the foyer of Mareel at 1:45pm on Tuesday 7th June, whereupon they will be led to Screen 2 for the viewing. Those wishing to talk to others, make connections, and share experiences after watching the film are welcome to stay with us and enjoy complimentary refreshments on the upper level of Mareel’s cafe bar. Get your tickets here.