Just saw this - one BIG issue

The people played themselves in the present - some of the past 'home movie' footage was made for the movie using actors. Just look at the credits.

This is no secret in the film either. There is a section that reveals these actors and actresses in the same room as Sarah Polley, and it is deliberately shown that there is modern filmmaking equipment present and make up being applied to what we were led to believe are the real articles. It was revealed as a twist, basically.

Sarah Polley's mom died in 1990. Could that be why? So they wouldn't have to rely on footage.

The film was about 30 minutes too long. And the fake footage bothered me. Perhaps it was another way of saying that truth is often elusive.

But there were more differences between the stories. For instance, some said Diana had no secrets. Others said he had lots of secrets. And the big difference was many knew of her affair while others had no clue.

Also, each character had a different reason to tell their story. Look at the gossip lady who named the wrong person...she was smiling as she did so. She loved to gossip and it showed. And Harry wanted the story to be about him. While, Sarah was looking for answers where there were no answers.

In my opinion, the part about Michael saying Diana did not know she was dying showed how clueless he was and how emotionally detached they were as a couple.

Yes, emvan! So well said.

I was so impressed with the emotional honesty of all of her family members - they had all pondered the situation deeply and were trying to tell their stories and be fair. How rare is that? Such a great gift. And yes, it's their memories and their perspectives that come together. It should neither be "everything meshes to show the 'truth'" NOR "every story is different and thus contradictory" - it's a complex blend.

emvan,
I appreciate your thoughtful analysis (from two years ago), and completely agree with your reference to the importance of 'collective memory'.

A person very close to me spent her final few days disregarding tasks that would outlive her, while subtly reminding those close to her that she loved them, and tidying up the garden where she would end her life. She knew that this place would soon be filled with bereaved loved ones, which it indeed was. As the years pass since her death, at family gatherings I'm struck by the absence of her contribution to the collective memory. Everyone relating their personal recollection is being complete and honest, yet her perspectives of the story are forever missing. Crucial portions of an unfinished jig-saw image that can now only be guessed-at by those surviving contributing their parts.

In 'Stories We Tell', as in life, even if Diane Polley's contemporary voice were present, there would still be ambiguities. Memory seems to reinterpret our experience almost immediately, which underscores the value of the collective memory.

I applaud Sarah Polley for presenting this very personal story, and feel she did her courageous best with what remained of fading, individual perspectives while they were still accessible.


Soon you will be dead, and your name as but a vapor,
and all those who remember your name will also soon be dead.
(paraphrase of Marcus Aurelius)

I'm so sorry that people don't remember right, or don't interpret right the elements of the film. It shows that even a simple exercise like this can be problematic to viewers. Her son was speaking about her delight after she decided to keep the baby. Michael wasn't clueless, he didn't want to speak about Diane's confrontation with death (he was the private one and chose all the time what he wanted to say). What disturbed me in the story was the competition between three intelligent people on who was going to appropriate the story. Harry probably wanted to make a movie, Sarah wanted this documentary and Michael wanted to write about it. I didn't get a clear image of Diane. We never heard her thinking, but this was kept on purpose because it wasn't about a clear portrait of her. Overall Diane was exploited by the two wining parties in this competition.

I can't believe people keep posting that they agree with the OP after your post. And you're not the only one having mentioned differences, albeit more subtle ones.

Yeah, those are pretty big differences. I need to rewatch it!

A very good post, but, I also still believe the OP is relevant: they are subtle differences, not substantial enough around which to revolve the whole story.

I think that might be Polley's point - everyone involved had their own point of view of what situations meant.

Based on their own perspectives, they have created their own scenarios of what is the truth. Some may be right or maybe they are all wrong.

No one can really say at this point, what was the truth for her mother.

We can only listen and draw our on conclusions (of course, these too are coloured by our own experiences)

God he was an egomaniac wasn't he? Didn't like him at all. And he's dreaming when he says their weeks-long love affair would have remain unchanged had she stayed with him.