Paris 70

Jan's life suddenly changed after his mother Angela started to succumb to Alzheimer's. He's in charge of taking care of her, which tests his commitment and resistance. Is there a way for Jan to ensure that his mother does not suffer?

I’m generally not a fan of shorts, but this offering from director Dani Feixas Roka is excellent on all fronts. The film tells the touching, fact-inspired story of a middle-aged musician (Alain Hernández) caring for his widowed mother (Luisa Gavasa), who is suffering the progressive effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. The filmmaker’s handling of this subject is deftly managed and heartwarming, despite the challenging circumstances involved. Superb performances, a taut script and an emotive background score combine to make for one of the better releases that I’ve seen in the dramatic short genre in quite some time. In fact, if I were to have any criticism, it would be that I would have liked to see the narrative expanded and further developed, especially given that what it currently does was handled so effectively. “Paris 70” may not be the easiest film to find, primarily playing at festivals, but it’s well worth the time if you have an opportunity to catch it.