Memory movie storyline. Silvia (Jessica Chastain) works at a public home in New York City for adults struggling with mental health conditions. She leads a simple and structured life: her daughter, her job, her AA meetings. She meets Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) in the worst circumstances, after he has creepily followed her home from their high school reunion party and she finds him dripping wet and freezing outside her door the next morning. Their surprise encounter will profoundly impact both of them as they open the door to the past.
The story was shot by frequent collaborator Yves Cape with the natural austerity that has come to define most of writer-director Michel Franco’s ouvre, as does his ability to not shy away from thorny issues on screen but instead explore the often painful vulnerability they contain. Dealing with complex themes of identity and trust, the loss of self, and the pervasiveness of hope, Franco (New Order, TIFF ’20; Sundown, TIFF ’21) and his experienced leads go for broke without ever overwhelming the audience.
The film’s finely attuned supporting cast including Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie, Unbelievable) and Josh Charles (The Good Wife) help take the story to an unexpected and unforgettable place. In this touching and profound piece, memory — often thought to be the foundation of who we are — does not define the limits of what it means to be human.
Memory is a 2023 drama film written and directed by Michel Franco. It stars Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Merritt Wever, Brooke Timber, Elsie Fisher, Josh Charles and Jessica Harper. The film is a Mexican-American production.
The film was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, where it premiered on 8 September 2023. Sarsgaard won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance. It was released in limited theaters in the United States on December 22, 2023, before expanding wide on January 5, 2024.
Memory (2024)
Directed by: Michel Franco
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Merritt Wever, Jessica Harper, Elsie Fisher, Brooke Timber, Josh Charles, Mia Mei Williamson, Elizabeth Loyacano, Tatiana Ronderos
Screenplay by: Michel Franco
Production Design by: Claudio Ramirez Castelli
Cinematography by: Yves Cape
Film Editing by: Oscar Figueroa, Michel Franco
Costume Design by: Gabriela Fernandez
Set Decoration by: Denise Pascal
Art Direction by: Kyra Boselli, Marcos Demián Vargas
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Ketchup Entertainment
Release Date: January 5, 2024
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