Fern
Fern

Movie spotlight

Fern

2017
Movie
5 min
English

A woman loses her husband and finds a potted plant.

Insights

IMDb7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes97%
Metacritic82/100
Google Users92%
Director: Kirsten JohnsonGenres: Documentary, Biographical

Plot Summary

This documentary offers an intimate portrait of Fernande "Fern" Carter, an elderly woman who, at the age of 80, decides to embark on a journey of self-discovery and reconciliation with her estranged family. The film chronicles her experiences as she navigates complex relationships and confronts long-held memories.

Critical Reception

Fern was widely acclaimed by critics for its tender and profound exploration of aging, memory, and family dynamics. Reviewers lauded director Kirsten Johnson's sensitive approach and the film's raw emotional honesty, making it a standout in the documentary genre.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its deeply personal and moving portrayal of an elderly woman's journey.

  • Lauded for its unflinching honesty in depicting complex family relationships and the process of reconciliation.

  • Celebrated for Kirsten Johnson's empathetic and artful direction.

Google audience: Audience reviews highlight the film's emotional resonance and its success in capturing the universal themes of aging, memory, and the enduring power of family connections. Many found Fern's story inspiring and deeply relatable.

Awards & Accolades

Won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, and received nominations for numerous other awards.

Fun Fact

Director Kirsten Johnson initially began filming Fern as a personal project, without a specific narrative in mind, which allowed for the organic development of the intimate and spontaneous feel of the final film.

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