Oblivium

Don't look away.

Don't turn your back.

Don't close your eyes, not even for a second.

Blink and you'll miss it.

Don't forget.

No matter what happens,

don't forget us.

Where am I?

What happened?

Is there something there?

No, I don't think so.

Then why are you panting?

Yeah, you were running.

No, I-- I wanted to tell you something.

Now what did I want to tell you?

Calm down. It's not a big deal. You'll remember later, just--

Sky?

My grandpa used to always say

that stories are where memories go to be forgotten.

Geez, I'm acting like he's already dead.

Sky, this can wait.

-I don't want to be insensitive. -You're not.

I promised we'd do this.

Let's go.

Hello.

My name is Liz Oswald,

nursing student at New York University.

Um, for my thesis,

I am doing a real life analysis

of the experiences of an Alzheimer's patient.

This film is just as much an exploration

into the effects the disease has on the patient's families.

Introduce yourself and then tell the story of your family.

Okay. Um...

I'm Sky Song.

I'm 21 years old.

Art student at New York University.

Tell us a bit about your family.

How long has your grandmother had Alzheimer's?

No siblings.

I grew up in Holloway, California.

But I live in New York now.

Is your grandmother aware

that your grandfather is ill in the hospital currently?

Well, my parents live abroad and--

Sky, talk about your grandmother, please.

Someone get a doctor!

I got it.

Fluctuations are normal, given his state.

Is he in any pain?

He's heavily sedated, and he's going to be out all through the night.

If anything should happen, we'll be alerted.

How do you turn this damn thing off?

What the...

-Don't leave her alone! -Grandpa.

Claire! Claire! She needs you.

She sees the dead, but she forgets.

Don't forget the dead.

Okay, let's just calm down.

-Let's get a doctor. -You-- no, you'll--

You'll see them, too, but you'll forget.

-What do you mean? -Listen!

Look beneath the flower po--

- -Grandpa.

Grandpa, are you okay?

Grandpa!

The Lord is my shepherd,

I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth...

The passing of Walter Song was very difficult on Sky.

But she's glad we were able to make it from New York in time to see him.

I will fear no evil...

Our subject, Claire Song,

isn't present at the funeral.

Thou preparest a table...

No one from the family

has told her of her husband's death.

...my head with oil; my cup...

With her condition...

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me...

...it's not yet clear whether she'd be able to

comprehend the situation.

Ye everlasting doors,

and the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of Hosts.

He is the King of glory.

This is a family photo album I got at the funeral.

Brought it back to the hotel.

Sky, her grandfather, Walter and her grandmother, Claire.

Looks like they did everything together.

That's Adrian, Sky's cousin and grandson to Claire.

He's a neuro... neurologist.

Oh, my God!

That hair!

What are you doing?

What?

Uh, nothing.

Re--research.

I was originally planning on just interviewing Sky

and her parents, but nothing would be better

than to experience an Alzheimer's patient firsthand.

I-I do have mixed feelings about this.

I'm going to need to be sensitive,

which...

...I'm realizing now is going to be near impossible.

- - So.

Some of grandpa's stuff.

Figured your parents want to see it.

Glad you're still here.

And what does that mean?

Uh, I'm driving up to Grandma's tonight, so have a safe flight.

I'm actually not flying back.

I'm going to go to Grandma's, too.

-Seriously? -Uh-huh.

Why?

Sky, you're a smart girl--

Okay, anything else you say will be offensive.

She needs a professional with her.

We are literally going to visit her

-at the nursing home. -She's not at the nursing home.

She went back to her house.

Yeah, you're not here. You wouldn't know.

What? So she's alone?

She had a caretaker stay with her.

He quit yesterday. I'm going to find somebody else.

Why did the caretaker quit?

Again, you're not here.

Fine, I will stay with her, and we will go find someone else--

While I find someone else, as her doctor, I--

And who are you to be making these decisions?

Who do I have to be? What is going on here exactly?

I don't know. You tell me, Doctor.

Why do you care so much that I go or not?

Are you doing this just to spite me?

Okay, well...

just remember that the Claire that you recall

is not the same person anymore.

-I know. -No, you know you don't.

You may as well be visiting a stranger.

Sky, can we go eat?

Uh...

Oh, yikes. I don't know if I touched it or not.

So I'm really trying to make a difference with this project.

At any time... six-- over six million Americans

are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.

Right.

There's not enough focus on...

the patients...

Liz, you haven't even asked one single question.

-Can you please just-- -Alzheimer's affects women

more than it affects men I mean,

what if I was able to break new ground

in this field? I mean, can you imagine how inspiring

that would be for young girls around the world?

Speak even plainer.

I think there's an opportunity for us

to explore your grandmother's situation firsthand,

if you let me film her.

-I am here to support you 100 percent. -So much for speaking plainly.

Or I could just leave a camera rolling,

and I would keep-- we would keep our distance. I promise.

-Liz, the last thing you've ever done in your life -I promise.

is keep your distance.

Distance is relative.

[upbeat Christmas music playing]

Sky wears yoga pants because she thinks it burns calories.

So, um...

Could you tell me what you and Adrian

were so calmly discussing?

Well...

my parents traveled for work.

His parents got divorced.

His dad ended up moving to Spain after the divorce,

so, the only person that was there was my Grandma.

She basically raised us as siblings.

But...

things change.

Yea.

Things do that.

What was he saying about your Grandma earlier?

She shouldn't be alone.

Aw, Sky, that's incredible.