(Left to right) Spencer Kaplan, Sean Campbell, and Justine Mirek playback and review footage. | Photo courtesy of Justine Mirek.
After being inspired by her relationship with her grandfather who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, senior film major Justine Mirek knew this would lead to the right story for her to direct during her final semester at the University of Rhode Island.
“I said to myself that I would only do it if I came up with an idea that I was really dedicated to,” Mirek said.
Her film, “A Man’s Life,” is about the pain that comes with Alzheimer’s disease but also the strength of love and family. It shows the different ways people cope when their relationship with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s is evolving.
The characters in the film aren’t exactly Mirek and her grandfather but are rather modeled after her relationship with him.
“My grandfather was always a man I looked up to,” Mirek said. “He was such a friendly and giving guy that always had a smile on his face and he was the mayor of our town in South Windsor. He served in the Vietnam War and I loved all his stories that he told me because he’s lived through a lot and so I wanted to kinda encapsulate those stories.”
Fellow film major and friend since orientation Spencer Kaplan is the producer for “A Man’s Life.” Similar to Mirek, Kaplan has also experienced what it’s like to have a relationship with a grandparent change when his grandmother was diagnosed with dementia.
“When Justine asked me to help out I just jumped right aboard because I understood her struggle and wanted to send out the message as well,” Kaplan said.
The premise of the film is very personal for both Mirek and Kaplan. Mirek said it’s brought her closer with her family and crew.
Filming for “A Man’s Life” took place over the course of two days this past weekend. Mirek felt confident in her crew after previously working with most of them over the past the four years at URI.
“Going into this I had an idea of who I wanted in my crew,” Mirek said. “From working with them in the past I knew they would be someone I could rely on and trust and would do everything they could to bring my vision to life.”
While filming at Elderwood of Scallop Shells, an assisted living home in Wakefield, Rhode Island, many of the seniors there were very interested in the production and wanted to be a part of it. Kaplan said that their curiosity in the production was delightful and Mirek said it often made the crew smile.
Due to the rain, the outdoor scenes scheduled for Sunday’s shoot were canceled, so they had to reconfigure the schedule and put in something extra hours to get everything done but Mirek said in the end it was all worth it.
Mirek and Kaplan are now in the process of creating a rough cut of the film so they can work with their composer, Sam Lostocco who will be customizing music for the film.
“A Man’s Life” will be screened on May 10 at 6 p.m. in Edwards Auditorium. The film will also be screening in at the South Windsor Public Library in her hometown of South Windsor, Connecticut on May 21 since her grandfather was so well-known.