Forget Me Not

Makanaka Mavengere, Charlene Mangweni

Zimbabwe / 2025 / Fiction / 27’44”I2603689

Forget Me Not
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SYNOPSIS

[EN] After being diagnosed with dementia, 79-year-old JOE becomes trapped in a fractured reality, reminiscing on memories that no longer match the present. In his mind, the death of his first wife, SOPHIE, feels recent and raw —though she’s been gone for thirty years. Meanwhile, his current wife, MARIA, who has shared the last twenty-three years by his side, struggles to pierce through the fog of his fading memory and bring him back to the present. As JOE slips further into yesterday, MARIA fights to bring him back to today and is left to mourn a man who is still alive but no longer fully with her. Despite her unwavering devotion, MARIA grapples with the pain of being forgotten by the man she loves and wrestles with a complex mix of denial, resentment, and grief. Burdened by the weight of societal pressures and her desire to protect JOE from judgment, she oscillates between moments of hope and heartbreak. Over time, Maria begins to release her anger and accept the reality of their new life and in the quiet, fleeting moments when JOE recognizes her, she finds comfort, choosing to honor the love they’ve built, even as it slips through her fingers.

GÉNÉRIQUE