My Life Films is an award-winning charity that makes films about the lives of people living with dementia. This organisation is on a mission to make a film package available for every person in the UK living with dementia.

The valuable work of My Life Films is funded by donations, grants and community fundraising.

At Dementia Concern, we have been involved with My Life Films for some time and believe this is a great opportunity for those living with dementia.

Read below and visit the website to find out more and register your interest!

The Film Package

My Life Films offers a standard film package that consists of two films:

Life Story Film: A 30-minute biography of the person’s life. It's made up of ten chapters showing their best memories from birth to the present. It features images from family albums, interviews with the person and their family members, and their favourite songs.

Profile Film: A five-minute introduction to the person's life. This is a shortened version of the Life Story Film, using a voiceover instead of interviews to narrate their unique history.

Using the Films

The film package has several different uses and benefits:

The Life Story film is watched by the person with dementia on a regular basis and is a reminiscence tool. It boosts their mood and helps them to feel proud of their life and achievements.

It also stimulates them to talk about their happy memories with other people more.

The Profile film is watched by care workers as a quick, engaging introduction to the person's life, helping them to look beyond the illness and see the unique person they're caring for.

It helps care workers to communicate better with the person, improving the relationship and quality of care.

Additionally, both films provide a wonderful, lasting memory of the person that can be enjoyed by family and friends for many years to come.

The Filmmaking Process

The filmmaking takes place over four sessions at the person's home, with the aim being to complete the film package within eight weeks.

This all begins with an initial meeting with the star and a member of their family. This will take place at the person's home and will involve discussing their life story and what they want to have included in the film.

In the next meeting, the family bring the material for the film and have it sorted into the relevant chapters for the filmmaker to scan. At this point, songs will be chosen that will either be the person's favourites or classics from the period of each chapter.

The filming session is planned carefully with the family and is considerate of how active the star is. The filmmaker will conduct individual interviews with the star and a limited number of family members.

Approximately two weeks after filming, the film will be ready for the premiere. You can choose how you would like to premiere the film. Some people watch it in their living room with their family, whereas others organise screenings in their local community centre and invite family and friends.

You will also receive copies of the films on DVD and a password-protected link to watch the film online. This means that the films can be watched on any digital device.

How To Get Involved

For more information, please visit the My Life Films website and complete the enquiries form if you are interested in making a film:

My Life Films website Enquiries Form

My Life TV

My Life TV is an on-demand, subscription-based TV service featuring content specifically curated for the cognitive needs of those living with dementia.

Viewers can enjoy a fantastic variety of content, including shows about animals, nature and gardening, among many other feel-good programmes. Plus, lots of quizzes, archive news and popular TV shows from 1960s & 1970s, and more.

My Life TV website