But UNE screen studies lecturer Dr Fincina Hopgood says the cinema experience should not just be the domain of the young. With the right support, she believes cinema-going should be an activity enjoyed by all – including those living with dementia.
This National Carers Week (16–22 October) Dr Hopgood has partnered with film studies colleague Dr Jodi Brooks from the University of NSW, and the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) in Canberra, to create a more accessible cinema experience with a screening of the beloved Australian film The Sapphires, for people living with dementia, their friends, families, companions and their carers.
“In the UK, there’s been a whole lot of initiatives to make cinema going and exhibition more accessible to more diverse audiences, and more welcoming of people living with dementia and their carers and families, but there haven’t been many opportunities in Australia,” Dr Hopgood says.
“Jodi has done work on ageing and cinema, and a lot of my work has focused on mental health and screen media, so we got together to talk about, well, why are we not doing this in Australia, why are we not addressing the needs of people living with dementia and older audiences, because we have an ageing population.”
In the UK, there’s been a whole lot of initiatives to make cinema going and exhibition more accessible to more diverse audiences, and more welcoming of people living with dementia and their carers and families, but there haven’t been many opportunities in Australia.
“We hope The Sapphires will particularly reach and entertain these audiences with its fantastic musical performances, colourful costumes and a soundtrack that we hope will be familiar and loved. It’s a compelling story set in the 1960s from a historical moment that will have touched many Australians of older generations,” Dr Hopgood says.
She says staging an event at the NFSA presents them with a particularly exciting opportunity to showcase some of the original artefacts used in the film and around its release.
“Because the NFSA is an archive, they don’t just have beautifully restored films, they also have costumes and publicity materials from when the films were released in Australia. So we can recreate something of the magic of that time.”
Visitors to the dementia-friendly screening of The Sapphires will be able to view the iconic blue sequinned dress worn by the stars, amongst other costumes, celluloid prints and original movie posters.
The researchers and the NFSA have partnered with dementia care organisations and people with dementia and their families to ensure they create a safe space for viewers.
“We’ve looked at things like adjusting the volume and the lighting so it’s not too overwhelming. Staff at the Arc cinema at the NFSA have been trained in terms of how to support people with dementia and their families. If someone needs to get up and move around, they can do so, there’ll be a space where the film will continue to be projected in the background, so they don’t have to leave the event completely.”
Cinema can be a powerful reminiscence therapy storytelling experience, these things are key to activating those neural pathways to memory.
Dr Hopgood says they are keen to ensure the opportunity is not just a one-off event, but can be recreated in future at the NFSA and across Australia.
“We want to follow up the screening in Canberra with a similar event in Armidale at the Belgrave cinema next year, so that’s the next step, but we’re also keen to produce a series of resources and guidelines for other cinemas to be able to replicate the experience. This is something they’ve done in the UK, but we’ve found is lacking in Australia.
“You can watch a film on Netflix, but there’s something about the immediate pleasure of going to the cinema and the social connections in particular that going to the cinema inspires. There’s something about the sensory environment of enjoying a film on the screen without the distractions of home. There’s something particular about tapping into your youth; cinema-going is a big part of being youthful and connecting with friends.
“Cinema can be a powerful reminiscence therapy storytelling experience, these things are key to activating those neural pathways to memory,” Dr Hopgood says. “It’s a really exciting project. It’s exciting to be part of the conversation about how creative arts can strengthen what’s already happening in aged care and dementia care research, and can help the aged live rich and fulfilling lives.”
The dementia-friendly screening of The Sapphires will take place at the Arc cinema at the National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra, on Saturday 22 October at 9.30am with morning tea, followed by the screening at 10.15am.
Tickets can be purchased for $10 from the NFSA website, with complimentary tickets for carers.
