EVERYBODY'S OMA
****
Director: Jason van Genderen
Screenplay: Jason van Genderen
Principal cast:
Jason van Genderen
Megan van Genderen
Hendrika van Genderen
Brie, Levi, Art and Evie van Genderen
Dr. Kate Cotter
Country: Australia
Classification: M
Runtime: 93 mins.
Australian release date: 11 August 2022.
Filmed over a number of years (and a lot of it during COVID lockdowns) on the east coast of Australia in the state of New South Wales, Everybody’s Oma, directed by Jason van Genderen, is a very personal documentary that records his mother’s declining health, the result of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Referred to as ‘Oma’ - the title given to Dutch matriarchs – his mum, Hendrika, is a charming woman with a whimsical, endearing personality that radiates from the screen. It’s not surprising that her son Jason and his partner Megan did their utmost to make sure she received the care that everybody in such a situation needs; they were intent on keeping her with them for as long as humanly possible and to help them help her, Jason filmed many of their interactions on his iPhone.
When Hendrika started to fall occasionally, Jason and Meghan brought her to live with them and their children for the last four-and-a-half years of her life, setting up her own ‘granny flat’ in their house. Jason adored his mother and, being a filmmaker, he often recorded their time together, which also gave the family a clear picture of how she was deteriorating. With Oma’s consent, Jason would post some of these videos on Facebook and, slowly, the clips found an audience. One, in particular, went viral. During lockdown it wasn’t possible to take the old lady grocery shopping, so he, Megan and the kids set up their own pretend branch of Coles for her, complete with all her favourite items - her delight was infectious and ended up being seen by millions of people around the world. Naturally, though, life together wasn’t always as happy and, as Oma’s health deteriorated, it became more difficult to look after her. When she was unable to be left on her own, for fear of falling and her increasing disorientation, her presence had a profound effect on the couple’s relationship and hard decisions had to be made. Van Genderen shows us the impact this had on the family, warts and all, and some scenes between the couple and the children show just how fractious things became at times. Ultimately, however, the experience left them with many good memories and an appreciation of life and created a strong familial bond between them.
Everybody’s Oma is a heart-warming and occasionally distressing film that is bound to touch people’s hearts. It succeeds in revealing how such devastating conditions impact not just the person afflicted but also those around them and shows how, even though dementia and Alzheimer’s overwhelm one’s existence, patience and understanding are the most significant acts of care one can make. This is an important, moving documentary and credit is due to van Genderen for sharing his and Oma’s very personal story with such dignity. He has said of his work, “Our phones became organic video diaries, capturing the incredibly touching moments as well as the achingly bare times. It would have been icing on the cake had Oma lived to see the completed film. Yet, ironically, her dementia would have robbed her of understanding the film, or hearing and seeing the love that played out in those scenes. I’ve absolutely made this film to celebrate her, and the extraordinary and beautiful imperfections in all of us. I hope Everybody’s Oma will create meaningful change about how we care for our elders whilst encouraging everyone to reconnect with what’s really most important in their lives.” It’s a lesson for us all.
Screenplay: Jason van Genderen
Principal cast:
Jason van Genderen
Megan van Genderen
Hendrika van Genderen
Brie, Levi, Art and Evie van Genderen
Dr. Kate Cotter
Country: Australia
Classification: M
Runtime: 93 mins.
Australian release date: 11 August 2022.
Filmed over a number of years (and a lot of it during COVID lockdowns) on the east coast of Australia in the state of New South Wales, Everybody’s Oma, directed by Jason van Genderen, is a very personal documentary that records his mother’s declining health, the result of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Referred to as ‘Oma’ - the title given to Dutch matriarchs – his mum, Hendrika, is a charming woman with a whimsical, endearing personality that radiates from the screen. It’s not surprising that her son Jason and his partner Megan did their utmost to make sure she received the care that everybody in such a situation needs; they were intent on keeping her with them for as long as humanly possible and to help them help her, Jason filmed many of their interactions on his iPhone.
When Hendrika started to fall occasionally, Jason and Meghan brought her to live with them and their children for the last four-and-a-half years of her life, setting up her own ‘granny flat’ in their house. Jason adored his mother and, being a filmmaker, he often recorded their time together, which also gave the family a clear picture of how she was deteriorating. With Oma’s consent, Jason would post some of these videos on Facebook and, slowly, the clips found an audience. One, in particular, went viral. During lockdown it wasn’t possible to take the old lady grocery shopping, so he, Megan and the kids set up their own pretend branch of Coles for her, complete with all her favourite items - her delight was infectious and ended up being seen by millions of people around the world. Naturally, though, life together wasn’t always as happy and, as Oma’s health deteriorated, it became more difficult to look after her. When she was unable to be left on her own, for fear of falling and her increasing disorientation, her presence had a profound effect on the couple’s relationship and hard decisions had to be made. Van Genderen shows us the impact this had on the family, warts and all, and some scenes between the couple and the children show just how fractious things became at times. Ultimately, however, the experience left them with many good memories and an appreciation of life and created a strong familial bond between them.
Everybody’s Oma is a heart-warming and occasionally distressing film that is bound to touch people’s hearts. It succeeds in revealing how such devastating conditions impact not just the person afflicted but also those around them and shows how, even though dementia and Alzheimer’s overwhelm one’s existence, patience and understanding are the most significant acts of care one can make. This is an important, moving documentary and credit is due to van Genderen for sharing his and Oma’s very personal story with such dignity. He has said of his work, “Our phones became organic video diaries, capturing the incredibly touching moments as well as the achingly bare times. It would have been icing on the cake had Oma lived to see the completed film. Yet, ironically, her dementia would have robbed her of understanding the film, or hearing and seeing the love that played out in those scenes. I’ve absolutely made this film to celebrate her, and the extraordinary and beautiful imperfections in all of us. I hope Everybody’s Oma will create meaningful change about how we care for our elders whilst encouraging everyone to reconnect with what’s really most important in their lives.” It’s a lesson for us all.