“Going in blind, I expected to be thrilled, outraged or appalled. But instead, I was deeply moved.”
“These are the people the selfish anti-lockdown mob thought should be sacrificed on the altar of their self indulgence”
“But outside of COVID the biggest virus going through aged care homes is neglect – the lack of love from family. This documentary beautifully captures that.“
Con Nats
4 Zimmer frames
A documentary about aged care fills you with dread, especially in light of the recent Royal Commission. It seems they have the same concerns about aged care in Chile, featured in theis Academy Award nominated documentary.
Writer-director Maite Alberdi is a documentary maker, who worked with a private detective firm asked to investigate an aged care home. One of the resident’s daughters is worried her mother is being mistreated and abused. Alberdi has already been granted permission by the aged care home to film a documentary, unaware they are being scrutinised. But they also need a mole who can report back what happens after hours.
They recruit recently widowed Sergio, 83, to act as a spy. After some humorous training on how to use smartphones and facetime, he’s then fitted up with a secret pen and spy glasses and then enters the premises for a three-month stint.
He’s a charmer and quickly builds connections with the residents and staff. He’s declared King of the Home and is driven around in an open car around the block. He wins and breaks hearts and is very helpful to others. You’ll learn to love Marta the petty thief and the lovely Berta who’s looking for a husband to give her virginity to.
Having the camera crew follow Sergio means this is well shot, and blurs the lines between documentary and film. You may even question the ethics involved but Alberdi wants to take us into the reality of an aged care home. This means not many sly gritty camera angles, apart from Sergio’s secret reports, or mood music. In these places, it’s the sounds of silence that say the most. The residents are authentic, not actors, and Sergio goes through his own journey during this time. His brave declaration and decision is a key turning point.
Going in blind, I expected to be thrilled, outraged or appalled. But instead, I was deeply moved. It’s hard to say too much more without spoiling the ending. But outside of COVID the biggest virus going through aged care homes is neglect – the lack of love from family. This documentary beautifully captures that.
Finally, when the credits rolled I noticed that two more of the residents had passed away due to COVID, which left me upset. Remember, these are the people our government did not think are a priority to vaccinate. These are the people the selfish anti-lockdown mob thought should be sacrificed on the altar of their self indulgence and the economy meant to serve them. These are the people who served their families and communities, only to be discarded. You’ll soon learn who the culprits and criminals really are but you’ll also remember, these are people – old, fragile and frail, but precious people. And we all need to remember that.
Con Nats, On The Screen
Opens Nationally June 17
