The Simplest Solution

Sometimes the hardest decisions in life can be solved with the simplest solutions. We wanted to bring awareness to Alzheimer's through the eyes of a child. Although Lucy doesn't understand what Alzheimers is, she wants to help her grandfather in her own innocent way.

  • Sam Mantini
    Director
  • Vincenzo Giovannini
    Writer
  • Rocco Tamburini
    Composer
  • Grandma - Kusum Hanemaayer
    Cast
  • Grandpa - John Fielding
    Cast
  • Lucy - Carrera Coyle
    Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 24, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Sam Mantini

Sam graduated with honors from the Film Production Program at Confederation College in 2011. Since then he has shot, directed and edited more then 30 short comedic films in partnership with Vincenzo Giovannini. He also works in the Canadian Film and Television industry in various departments such as, Camera, Grip, Electric and Production.

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Director Statement

What the story is about?

The film is about a grandmother who is forced to make the difficult decision of putting her husband, Harry, in a home. As his Alzheimer’s continues to get worse, she is left with no other choice. Their granddaughter, Lucy, doesn’t understand what is happening but she comes up with a way to help her grandfather remember.

What genre does it belong to?

We wanted to bring awareness to Alzheimer’s through the eyes of a child and instead of leaving the audience feeling sorry, we wanted them to feel happy and to leave knowing that even in the most difficult times, there is can always be moments that will make you happy.

What is the time period?

The film takes place in modern time as Alzheimer’s and other dementia are affecting more people daily.

What is the hero's goal?

Lucy’s goal is to help her grandfather remember where the washroom is so he doesn’t have to go to a home.

Visual look

We didn’t want to anything to distract the viewer from the context of the film so we decided to go with a natural look but with a bit of a soft edge to focus more attention on the characters.

Cinematic Style

We decided to hold shots a bit longer then what most film tend to do in order to draw the audience into the situation and to feel what they are seeing as real instead of a movie.

Editing

We decided to edit the film at a pace where the audience discovers what is going on at the same time the grandfather does. We want people to really feel what it would be like to have Alzheimer’s and to see what it would be like in that situation.

Music

We decided to create a soundtrack that starts off slow and depressed but as the story progresses we wanted the music to be more blissful as the grandpa is discovering what Lucy has done.