People with dementia and their carers have the chance to meet actress Julie Christie as she promotes her latest role, playing a woman with Alzheimer?s. Alzheimer?s Society supporters can win seats to a gala screening of ?Away From Her? including a question and answer session with the star, in an exclusive charity competition.
The film, Away from Her, is a directorial debut by actress Sarah Polley and is based on the short story ?The Bear Who Came Over the Mountain? by Canadian author Alice Munro. It follows a retired couple as they learn to cope with the onset of Alzheimer?s disease.
Christie as wife Fiona insists on going into care as her memory starts to deteriorate, rather than staying at home with her husband of 40 years Grant (Gordon Pinsent). She is determined to deal with the disease on her own terms, as her husband struggles to accept the unexpected changes in their lives.
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer?s Society says,
?It has been some time since Alzheimer?s was been tackled on the big screen and the film raises important questions about the choices people face. It sensitively follows a couple through the confusion of the earliest stages of dementia, the disbelief of diagnosis and the challenging decisions that follow.
?Hopefully the film will increase awareness of Alzheimer?s disease and dementia and the confidence of those living with a diagnosis.?
Alzheimer?s Society members, staff and volunteers can enter a competition to win tickets to the film. First prize is two pairs of tickets to a screening of ?Away From Her?, which Christie will attend, at the Screen on the Hill cinema in Belsize Park, London, on Friday 27 April.