DEMENTED is a poignant laugh-and-cry comedy drama short about three dysfunctional adult siblings caring for their mother, a one-time soul singer, who has dementia.

Written and directed by Polly Courtney, it’s a proof-of-concept for a TV series of the same name and is currently being submitted to festivals and streamers.

My favourite comedies have a bit of salt with the sugar; a Fleabag-esque gut twinge, right after the rib tickle. Demented’ manages to capture both the tragedy of dementia, and the illness’s inherent absurdist comedy. The edit reflects the experience of dementia, match-cutting between decades and frenetically following the dialogue - all in service of a fictional family struggling to hold it together.

Director, Writer, producer: Polly Courtney
Production: Game Changer Productions
DOP: John R Templeton