Experiencing Interruptions?

NOT TO FORGET

This is a drama that stars 5 Academy Award winners.
After a life of little scams, a self-centered millennial is sentenced to take care of his grandmother, who is affected by Alzheimer's. As he realizes the extent of her wealth, the protagonist gets closer to the treasure he's been looking for.

  • Valerio Zanoli
    Director
    Hopeful Notes, All You Can Dream, The Minis
  • Valerio Zanoli
    Writer
  • Valerio Zanoli
    Producer
  • Karen Grassle
    Key Cast
    Little House on the Prairie
  • Louis Gossett Jr
    Key Cast
    An Officer and a Gentleman
  • Cloris Leachman
    Key Cast
    Young Frankenstein, The Last Picture Show
  • Olympia Dukakis
    Key Cast
    Moonstruck, Look Who's Talking
  • Tatum O'Neal
    Key Cast
    Paper Moon, Little Darlings
  • George Chakiris
    Key Cast
    West Side Story
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 24 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    1,000,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Vertical Entertainment
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: All Rights
    Country: United Kingdom
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Valerio Zanoli

Valerio Zanoli (www.valeriozanoli.com) graduated from the prestigious School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, with a Presidential Scholarship and a Dean’s Scholarship.

A few years later, Valerio produced and directed the film The Minis, starring NBA legend Dennis Rodman. The movie is available in the United States, Europe, Middle-East, Australia, China, Africa, etc. To support its distribution, Valerio created an official videogame and several partnerships that span from Yahoo! to McDonald’s.

Valerio later produced and directed the film Hopeful Notes, which was awarded the first prize at the International Social Commitment Awards and 5 out of 5 doves by The Dove Foundation. The film is in distribution all over the world through Pure Flix Entertainment.

Valerio is the director and producer of the film All You Can Dream, starring international singer Anastacia. The movie had its world premiere at the Giffoni Film Festival and its U.S. premiere at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It later received support letters from the Office of the First Lady and UNESCO "Education for Children in Need."

Valerio co-wrote and produced the film The Ghost Experiment 3D, which was directed by the executive producer of The Blair Witch Project.

Valerio is the director of the Spanish-language film Fiebre Salsera, with a Grammy winner and several world-champion salsa dancers.

Valerio is the director of the Italian film W Gli Sposi, which features a cast of numerous celebrities and is the last on-screen performance of comedy icon Paolo Villaggio.

Valerio recently produced and directed the film Not To Forget, with a cast that includes Karen Grassle and 5 Academy Award winners: Louis Gossett Jr., Olympia Dukakis, Cloris Leachman, Tatum O'Neal, and George Chakiris. The film is being distributed by Vertical Entertainment in the U.S. and by MGM Studios in the rest of the world.

Valerio also directed several commercials (i.e. for Guam) and music videos (i.e. for CeCe Rogers). He is currently working on the films Homeless, Party Legends, and Take 1.

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Director Statement

“HEARTFELT AND MOVING” -- Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement

I started developing the film Not to Forget after learning about the terrifying numbers related to Alzheimer’s – a form of dementia that has been called a “plague of the XXI century.”

"Every 65 seconds, a new brain develops Alzheimer’s. 2/3 of them belong to women. African Americans are twice as likely as whites to develop the disease."

My intent was clear from the very beginning: Giving life to a film that could have a social impact and become a tool to raise awareness and funds for the fight against Alzheimer’s. I wanted to entertain audiences around the world while informing them about this terrible disease and, above all, about the ways they can prevent it.

"One-third of Alzheimer's cases may be preventable by addressing lifestyle factors. It's never too early to start."

I was determined to create a film with the right compromise of light situations and dramatic moments. I wrote the story from the perspective of a millennial who didn’t know anything about Alzheimer’s and found himself taking care of Grandma. Dementia affects approximately 50 million people around the world, with nearly 10 million new patients every year. However, this terrible disease also affects the caregivers – the unsung heroes, often family members willing to sacrifice themselves to take care of their loved ones.

"There are 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer's. There are 11.2 million Americans providing unpaid care to someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. And, also in this case, two-thirds of them are women."

All the above-mentioned data and additional resources for patients and caregivers are available at TheWomensAlzheimersMovement.org – a nonprofit organization founded by Maria Shriver that raises awareness about women’s increased risk for Alzheimer’s, educates the public about brain health and Alzheimer’s prevention, and raises funds to support women-based Alzheimer’s research.

During pre-production, Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers read the screenplay and provided invaluable feedback. After several revisions, I reached out to my dream cast and I convinced Karen Grassle and 5 Oscar winning actors to join me in Kentucky for an incredible experience. I had the honor and pleasure of working with talented professionals, of directing Cloris Leachman and Olympia Dukakis in their final performances, and of bringing to life a sweet story that needs to be told.

I am very pleased with all my cast and crew members, who gave their best and were highly motivated by our common goal of helping the fight against Alzheimer’s. I am grateful to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which welcomed us with open arms. And I’ll be eternally thankful to Vertical Entertainment, which believed in me and this film.

Not to Forget is a tribute to believing, working hard, and never giving up. It is part of the project letsmakeadifference.info and is an invitation for everyone to serve, find purpose, and have an impact. As mentioned in the end credits, I dedicate this film to:
- All the Alzheimer’s patients, their families, and caregivers.
- All the cast and crew members, especially the ones who passed away too soon.
- My parents, who will always inspire me and live through me.