As a young boy, director Iain Cunningham often saw his mother’s face in the moon or imagined her to be the thistle seeds he would catch and release with a wish. With no real memories of her, growing up in a house where her name was never mentioned, Iain was left to wonder, How does someone just disappear? Decades later, watching his daughter begin forming her own memories, Iain decides to unravel the mystery of his mother, Irene. Iain asks his father for a box of photos stashed long ago in the attic. Aided by these and his incomplete baby book, Iain identifies a small group of people whose shared recollections have the power to reveal almost everything. Earnest interviews with Irene’s lifelong best friend, Lynn; Iain’s aunt and uncle; and an assortment of others propel this absorbing narrative toward unexpected discoveries. Simple, well-placed animation complements Iain’s thoughtful narration throughout, affording a quiet visual lyricism worthy of a mother’s memory.  WFM

Filmmaker Q&A following screening