"My Name Is Lisa" - Raising Alzheimer's Awareness through Short Film

Have you seen "My Name Is Lisa"? Here are a few comments on the short film:
"Amazing little film. The trouble with the mom is early-onset Alzheimers ... memory loss, confusion, irritability, aggression, mood swings, and eventually withdrawl. Its a tragic disease for a family to face with a loved one. Its never funny, and always heartbreaking. "I am Lisa" portrays just that heartbreak so very well. I had tears in my eyes by the end of it."
"Sad but true. A touching picture."
"Well-acted, shows the impact of younger onset dementia. Alzheimer's doesn't just affect older people."
"Gr8 job 5 stars.. My mom is suffering from Dementia and she is now completely dependent. I can relate this movie with her character. This is a a very serious disease starts with forgetting minor things and gradually leads to a point where the person suffering from the disease doesn't identify themselves/ anyone. I had tears in my eyes watching this video.. :( "

From Alz.org: "It's a short film created by Ben Shelton who studied Theater Arts at the University of Puget Sound. To prepare for his Senior Thesis Project, where he played a man with Alzheimer's in the play, "Tales of the Lost Formicans" by Constance Congdon, Ben studied Alzheimer's disease. This experience had such a huge impact that he, together with his brother, Josh, wrote the screenplay, "My Name is Lisa." This short film has won numerous awards including Best Short Film of 2007 at the YouTube Awards; Carte Blanche Selection, Short Film Corner, Cannes 2008, and has been viewed over 2.5 million times on the Web. Today, both of Ben's grandparents have a form of dementia and while he is often in denial of that truth, "My Name is Lisa" is a reminder to him of just how fragile life is and how strong a child can be even in the most difficult of times."


What do you think of the short film?
Do you think it portrayed Alzheimer's disease in an authentic way that is true-to-life?
Is there anything you would have added?
Who would you share this film with? Would you show it to children? Do you think can films like this educate the public about dementia and Alzheimer's Disease? Do you have to be a caregiver to understand this film?
Have you seen any short films like this that spread awareness of Alzheimer's or other illnesses, in a correct honest way?
Do you believe film is an effective medium to talk about Alzheimer's?
Would you share this film with others in your online communities? What other online films or videos would you share?

Join WEGO Health's Alzheimer's Group to participate in this and other discussions.