EP 416: Making of FACING THE WIND: Lewy Body Dementia Film Documentary

Ladies and gentlemen, with honesty, tenderness and, yes, sometimes humor, the film Facing the Wind invites viewers into the lives of people with Lewy body dementia and their caregivers…real people in real time.  FACING THE WIND, a sixty-minute documentary film, reveals how a mutual support community can be an antidote to despair, letting people know they are not alone.  You will follow their journey, laughing and crying with them, while taking an unflinching look at dementia care with its overwhelming and isolating aspects. The struggle is real, but so is the love.

Lewy body dementia is not a rare disease. It affects more than 1.4 million people in America. It is the second most common form of dementia, but it still being misdiagnosed.

Alzheimer’s disease is the gradual decline of memory as Lewy body dementia is the roller coaster ride with ups and downs. One moment the patient can be fully present and lucid and the next be completely lost or deal with hallucinations from mild to severe.

There is no cure, but this very powerful film documentary is not for those suffering with Lewy body dementia, but for the people who care for them. Many spouses and family members are thrust into being a caregiver and navigating the vast ocean of the unknown.

FACING THE WIND is a starting place for caregivers and to know that it’s ok to not be ok. Head over to LewyBodyResourceCenter.org for more information. If your loved one was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, you are not alone and there are resources right now that can help you.

Facing the Wind is the latest collaboration of award-winning director Deedra Fishel and producer Tony Heriza. Their groundbreaking film Care, funded by the Ford and MacArthur Foundations, shed light on America’s broken eldercare system. Deerdra and Tony both have family members with dementia and share deep empathy for those with the disease and their caregivers.

Deerdra Fishel has been writing and directing documentaries and dramas for 25 years now. Her life's goal is to create complex, realistic portraits that challenge mainstream stereotypes and work to improve lives. She started her career at WNYC-TV where she produced a half-hour program on women community organizers working to save the South Bronx. She went on to write/direct RISK, a dramatic feature, which premiered in competition at Sundance and was broadcast in 35 countries.

Tony Heriza’s award-winning films and videos have addressed a broad range of social issues, including gentrification, immigration, racism, gender equity, sexuality, criminal justice, and peace-building. His New Day film, Care, produced with Deerdra Fishel, is an intimate exploration of home-based elder care from the POV of both workers and their clients.

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