Stories We Tell(2012) File

Polley uses a unique blend of real archival material and "faux" home video to challenge traditional documentary conventions.

: While deeply personal, critics at The Hollywood Reporter and The A.V. Club noted that the film resonates as a universal meditation on how families define themselves through the stories they inherit. Stories We Tell(2012)

Since its debut at the Venice Film Festival, "Stories We Tell" has been hailed as a masterwork of personal cinema. Polley uses a unique blend of real archival

The documentary is structured as an investigation where Polley interviews her siblings, her father Michael, and friends of her mother to piece together Diane’s life. Diane passed away from cancer when Sarah was only 11, leaving behind a legacy of vibrant energy and hidden layers. Since its debut at the Venice Film Festival,

: The film highlights how each person’s version of the past is shaped by their own perspective, suggesting that "truth" is often ephemeral and subjective.

: Through her research, Polley identifies her biological father as Harry Gulkin , a film producer she eventually meets and forms a friendship with.