成人快手

Memory is fragile. We are driven to capture it. But is this possible when the memories of the person we love have fragmented?

Julian鈥檚 mother has no memory. Both her long and short term memory were destroyed by different viruses. His mother still has an emotional memory of Julian. She recognises him - his personality, his manner. But she doesn鈥檛 know how old he is, what he does for a living, or that he has a partner. And she doesn鈥檛 realise that she can鈥檛 remember. So their relationship is stuck in a loop, consisting of repeated conversations and activities.

But Julian鈥檚 found a way to connect with his mother. He is a photographer and he is constantly trying to capture his mother鈥檚 image. His sister thinks he鈥檚 trying to catch glimpses of their mum as she would have been had she not got ill. Julian isn鈥檛 so sure. For him, taking photographers of his mum is simply a way for them to pass time together - to connect.

Chatting in her care home, going to the caf茅 for tea and cake, listening to music in the car, celebrating a birthday - the lens of Julian鈥檚 camera brings us into the relationship between a mother and a son, divided by a loss but bound together by love.

The Memory Catcher takes us on a journey into their relationship but also our relationship with memory. Who are we when we cannot make memories, even as simple as who has just said hello? When memory is faulty, fading, or lost altogether, what can be captured by another?

Produced by Maia Miller-Lewis and Jo Rowntree
Composer Maia Miller-Lewis
With thanks to Julian, Kirsten and Monika and the wonderful staff at Monika鈥檚 care home.

A Loftus Media production for 成人快手 Radio 4