“Lost Memories,” a video installation by partially deaf filmmaker Gary Thomas heads on a UK tour in June (BSL)

Lost Memories is a multi-screen video installation that draws on screenwriter Gary Thomas’ experience of being a carer to his mother, who had Alzheimer’s Disease. Combining documentary phone footage with fictional sequences, Gary – who is partially deaf – will be showing his film installation across 5 locations in the UK from June to November.

Gary’s touring film – which is captioned – will offer an insight into his lived experience as a caregiver, and incorporate stories submitted by members of the public of their experiences as carers.

Focusing on the personal insights of being a carer, Lost Memories will share Gary’s experience of looking after his mother. The installation will feature personal diary extracts, real phone footage and dramatised sequences, capturing the heart-breaking but also joyful moments of their relationship.

Highlighting his deafness and the need time be accessible Gary adds:

“My film Lost Memories is about me being a carer for my mother who had Alzheimer’s. The script came from personal diary entries, and one of the things I talk about is how difficult I find using the phone.

I say this is in part due to my deafness, but also my autism, which nobody seems to understand, despite me having to consistently explain my disabilities.

So, when I had to use the phone to call an ambulance for my mother, both the first and second time, I made a point of telling the emergency services how I find it hard to explain things over the phone. It’s made even harder in an already stressful situation where my mother was clearly unwell and had a bad fall.

So not only do I talk about my deafness in the film, it makes total sense that my work is captioned as standard, not only for deaf audiences but also for those that might prefer it or find it easier to follow in a crowded gallery space. This also increases the number of people that can enjoy the work without asking for anything upfront.

I am one of the 16million disabled, deaf and/or neurodivergent people in the UK. It makes absolutely no sense to ignore such a large number of the public who might want to come and experience my work.

To ensure we accommodate for everyone, we also made an ‘all audience’ version, taking some of the more graphic medical descriptions out. So, while it’s a tough subject, and a very personal one, I hope the widest audience possible gets to see it.”

The display will be spread across a three-screen installation, which audiences will be able to walk through as Gary seeks to convey the texture of lives that revolve around the confusion behind dementia and the demands of caregiving.

The Lost Memories installation aims to provide recognition for the large number of carers who look after their own relatives, as well as showing moments of clarity and the joy within these.

To honour carers across the UK, Gary is inviting people to submit either 500 written words or a video diary, detailing their experience of being a carer.

These honest accounts will be incorporated into the film installation at a later date, to ensure all voices are heard as Lost Memories seeks to uncover the lived experience of caregiving, which can often feel hidden and taboo in today’s tabloids.

To find out more about Gary see: https://garythomas.co.uk/

Tour dates and locations:

14th-16th June: St Anne’s House, Brislington, Bristol BS4 4AB

3rd-7th September: Worthing Gallery, Colonnade House, 47 Warwick Street, Worthing BN11 3DH

17th-21st September: Paignton Library, Great Western Road, Paignton TQ4 5AG

October 2024: Victoria Pavilion, Victoria Pleasure Ground, New Town, Uckfield TN22 5DJ

5th-10th November: Library at the Lightbox, 1 The Glass Works, Barnsley, S70 1GW

Please contact garythomaswriter@gmail.com to RSVP

Gary Thomas is a writer and filmmaker based in South East England, and also works in theatre, having produced four stage shows. Gary will also be running workshops in each location for artists and carers to share their stories.