The Old Fools

The Old Fools, directed by Ruth Lingford, is based on the poem of the same name by Philip Larkin, written when the poet's mother was in a nursing home. Like the poem, the film explores the ambivalent feelings of tenderness and disgust, compassion and terror evoked by countenancing the decay and death of a loved parent. It offers a clear-eyed look at the inevitability of our own demise, using images that are visceral, abrasive and sometimes quite beautiful. The film hints at the consequences of our society's denial of death. Techniques include DV footage, drawings and typography digitally animated, using Painter and After Effects.