TEHRAN (IBNA) -- A
comparative and cross-cultural analysis of cinematic representations of ‎Alzheimer’s disease in films, the book ‘Cinematic Representations of ‎Alzheimer’s Disease’ by Raquel Medina has been published in Persian and is ‎available in Iranian bookstores. ‎
This work has been translated into Persian by Mohammad Hosseini. Arjmand Publishing in Tehran has released ‘Cinematic Representations of Alzheimer’s Disease’ in 328 pages.
This book offers a cross-cultural approach to cinematic representations of Alzheimer’s disease in non-mainstream cinema. Even though Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, is a global health issue, it is not perceived or represented homogenously around the world.
Contrary to very well-known mainstream films, the films discussed do not focus on the negative aspects normally associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but on the importance of portraying the perspective of the persons living with Alzheimer’s and their personhood.
Similarly, this book analyses how the films use Alzheimer’s as a trope to address issues relating to different areas of life and society such as, for example, family matters, intergenerational relationships, gender issues, national traditions versus global modernity, and caring for people with dementia. By examining an array of films, from crime fiction to documentary that each present non-stigmatising representations of Alzheimer’s disease, this in-‎depth study ultimately demonstrates the power of culture in shaping meaning.
This thorough, important, and timely book offers a useful and original contribution to a burgeoning field. Medina moves the conversation out of the mainstream film without losing central significance.
Medina’s work systematically exposes the problems of simplistically valorizing agency as a measure of human value. The book reminds readers that context always matters and that cultural forms are an essential part of material context.” (Sally Chivers, Trent University, Canada)
Raquel Medina is Senior Lecturer in Spanish Studies, Aston University, UK.