Join Spring Arbor University’s Department of Communication and Media for the fifth annual film showcase of “Forget Me Never,” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 12 at the Michigan Theatre, 124 N. Mechanic St., Jackson.
“Forget Me Never” is a red carpet premiere, filmed and organized by SAU students, honoring the lives of local senior citizen residents of Arbor North, a semi-assisted living center in Jackson.
The event captures and preserves the residents’ lives and stories in video and book forms, hence the title, “Forget Me Never.” Students interview each resident, creating hours of raw footage, which is then edited down to approximately four minutes on each senior and combined for the final film. The audio file is edited to create the stories found in the pages of the accompanying book.
This experience not only gives residents the opportunity to share their stories with a younger generation, but it gives students the chance to learn something about the past.
Becky Veydt, administrator of Agency, the capstone experience for selected Comm. Department students, describes “Forget Me Never” as a “rich, creative, hands-on experience on a multigenerational level. It places students at the feet of senior citizens with opportunity to learn their stories and life perspectives. These students then have opportunity to turn around and share their experiences via film, writing and event planning, all while keeping the residents’ narratives alive.”
The event is free and open to the public. Semi-formal attire is encouraged.
By Jennifer Kilbourn
