Alive Inside

Across our nation there are facilities full of people lost to Alzheimer's and dementia. What if there was a way to reach them, to reconnect them to themselves? This documentary follows Dan Cohen, a social worker who began bringing iPods and headphones in so patients could listen to music. The effect was remarkable. People who had not responded to medications or therapy suddenly seemed to awaken, recalling memories and regaining some motor skills. Dan's excitement at the discovery led to further attempts, and a national movement was launched. Backed by many in the medical profession, investigations began into the powerful role that music and memory play in the treatment of patients formerly considered the “living dead.” For three years filmmaker Michael Rossato-Bennett followed Dan in his quest to reach as many patients as possible, bringing the use of music into common practice to replace costly drugs that have little effect. Heart-rending and joyous, this film documents not only that journey, but also the miraculous re-emergence of people who, though deeply buried, are still very much ALIVE INSIDE. —C.R.