Educational Media Reviews Online

“Things in your life change drastically, as if someone swapped them when you weren’t paying attention.”

Every family has a story. That tale is unique and individual, unable to be replicated in its entirety. People’s lives are intertwined with feelings, thoughts, actions, and memories. These are the items we carry with us over the years that make us feel whole. Over time, fractures undoubtedly occur, and things begin to slip through the cracks. When the memories fade, it begs the question: what do we have left? If only there was a vehicle to bring them back…

Our Time Machine is a documentary that follows a Chinese artist named Maleonn as he puts his entirety into a special endeavor. Coming from a family of prominent theater folk, he has creativity surging through his veins. This particular project is inspired by his father, a once renowned director of Chinese Opera. Over the years, Maleonn and his Papa have grown incredibly close. However, as time has come and gone, so have his father’s memories. He is suffering from dementia, a condition that seems to be ramping up and changing the tone of the family.

Maleonn’s project is inventive, portraying the story of a boy who sees his father’s declining memory and aspires to build a time machine to retrieve his recollections before it is too late. What makes the theatrical project all the more interesting is that there is little dialogue and the main characters are robotic, steampunk puppets. The endeavor proves difficult for a multitude of reasons. Funding is difficult to come by and the timetable for completion keeps extending. Throughout the process, Papa’s memory is fading, creating stressors for the artist and the family alike. Regardless, Maleonn trudges on to finish building a “vehicle” for his father while struggling with questions of mortality.

Our Time Machine is an emotionally heavy film, as viewers can easily relate to the tight grip dementia can have on an individual and their loved ones. The confusion and frustration in trying to remember is painful, as vacant, tearful gazes are piercing. The viewer continually wonders what will happen next and if it will be difficult to watch. All the while, the production of the documentary is wonderous, as directors Chiang and Sun use digital effects and Maleonn’s artforms in montages and scene transitions. The choice of music is authentic to Chinese culture and appropriate when interspersed between scenes and interviews.

This film will be a strong addition to any academic library, especially one with a focus on family relations, sociology, and mental health. In addition, the film appeals to a broader, public audience, as dementia and Alzheimer’s is prominent in society. Viewers should take note that Our Time Machine is filmed in Chinese and contains English subtitles.

Awards:

Best Cinematography in a Documentary Feature, Tribeca Film Festival; Winner: Documentary Competition, CAAMFest; Grand Jury Award, International Documentary Feature, LA Asian Pacific Film Festival; Winner: Best International Director; Winner: Best in Category “All in the Family”, Doc Edge; Jury Award – Best Documentary Feature Film, Indie Street Film Festival; Grand Prix for Best Documentary Film, Minsk International Film Festival Listapad; Best Editing, China Academy Awards of Documentary Film; Best of Fest Audience Award, Wakefield Doc Fest; Special Jury Award, Salem Film Fest