The youngest of five children, actress and director Sarah Polley (Away from Her, Take This Waltz) was only eleven years old when her mother died of cancer. In her absence, questions lingered, memories and stories continued to stir. Polley delicately peels back the layers of a subtle family mystery, buried beneath years of softly whispered speculations. Making a film about one’s own family is particularly tricky territory, but it is even more unwieldy when those closest to the filmmaker have different conceptions of past events. With tenderness, Polley gathers together the fractured perspectives of her father, her siblings, and many close family friends. Along with their poignant recollections, incredible 8mm footage breathes life into this shifting portrait of the luminous woman Polley lost when she was just a girl. As interpretations and contradictions are brought to light, we can’t help but ponder just how accurately we ever really know those whom we love the most.  ST