The Closer We Get – a family story of living with stroke

AWARD-WINNING film The Closer We Get about the effects of stroke will make two exclusive free screenings on the West Coast.

Artist Karen Guthrie will be in Oban on January 24 and on Mull the following day (January 25) to screen her ground-breaking film.

The post-screening discussions are supported through Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland.

Ann Guthrie is a former nurse who suffered a devastating stroke in 2008. Her daughter, Karen, a film-maker, became one of her care-givers at her home in Largs.

A few years later, with Ann by then almost quadriplegic, they began to make an extraordinary film together – which became The Closer We Get and which was released in cinemas in 2015 and on BBC Scotland, and on DVD/online in 2016, attracting film awards and rave reviews internationally.

This funny and poignant film follows the impact of Ann’s stroke on the Guthries’ family life, spanning 50 years, all told against the backdrop of Ann’s everyday domestic world as a stroke survivor who has lost most of her physical capacities, yet none of her sense of mischief and humour.

Karen says of the experience of screening the film: ‘It’s been humbling to meet so many different people who are dealing with stroke every day and to share my own experiences with them. There's always laughter – and a few tears too!'

The Oban screening is at the Oban Phoenix Cinema on Tuesday January 24. The film will start at 2pm and be followed by a Q&A with Karen and staff from the North Argyll Carers Centre.

The Mull screening and Q&A will be held at An Tobar on Wednesday January 25 and take place at 1.30pm.

More information on the film can be found at http://thecloserweget.com.

Attendance to both screenings is free and open to the public, come along and find out more.