Memento Mori

Sitting in the middle of a grassy field, Louella, a young woman coming to terms with her cancer diagnosis, is faced not only with cancer itself but also with an onslaught of opinions from those sitting opposite to her.

As the people in her life flash before her, Louella experiences a surreal journey from diagnosis to remission.

Although cancer proves to be an intimidating entity, Louella decides to take back control on how she perceives her fear.

  • Anna Barker
    Director
  • Ryan Irving
    Director
  • Anna Barker
    Writer
  • Eric Durnford
    Producer
  • Ryan Irving
    Producer
  • Anna Barker
    Producer
  • Anna Barker
    Key Cast
  • Josh Bertwistle
    Key Cast
  • Charles Hamilton
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 32 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Anna Barker, Ryan Irving

Anna Barker is a Calgary based actor/director. She graduated from Mount Royal University's Theatre program in 2013, and since that time Barker has acted in many Canadian productions, including a Canadian Hertitage Minute. Memento Mori is her directorial debut.

Ryan Irving is a Calgary born filmmaker. Since graduating from the Mount Royal Theatre program in 2010, Irving has gone on to act in such productions as Hold The Dark and Wynonna Earp. Memento Mori is his second directed film.

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Director Statement

In 2015, at 22, my seemingly invincible life changed when I was diagnosed with cancer. Not only did I have to navigate through my illness and what it did to my body, but I also had to figure out how to manage other people’s expectations of me.

Something you’re not told when you’re sick, is how to give other people the bad news. While going through treatment, I had to re-evaluate many things; one of which was my artistic presence. I lost my hair, and as an actor where your image seems to be everything, I felt like I had also lost my identity.

“Memento Mori” has become a reclamation of this person I thought I’d lost, and has also provided me with an understanding that identity and artistic presence should never be centered on image, but instead tied to the stories and to the energy put out into the world. “Memento Mori” embodies a unique perspective on the cancer narrative, and I hope it fuels a dialogue about illness many of us are too afraid to have.