Stories We Tell (2013) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The documentary is set primarily in Montreal, Canada. The city serves as the backdrop for the personal revelations about the filmmaker's family, with its historical charm and mix of old and modern architecture enhancing the emotional depth of the storytelling.

• montreal
• setting
• location
• canada

The documentary reflects on events predominantly from the 1990s, a time when societal norms about family and relationships were evolving. The film captures the sentiment of exploration and discovery within these changing dynamics while also touching on earlier decades through flashbacks and archival footage.

• 1990s
• time period
• era
• timeline

The film is a personal documentary in which filmmaker Sarah Polley investigates her family's past. Through interviews with relatives and archival footage, she uncovers long-held secrets about her mother, revealing an extramarital affair and the true identity of her biological father. The documentary explores how these hidden truths reshape her understanding of love, memory, and identity.

• documentary
• secrets
• family
• investigation
• identity

The documentary centers on two primary themes: family secrets and the power of documentary storytelling. It examines how hidden truths impact familial relationships and shape individual identities, while also showcasing how the filmmaker uses interviews, home videos, and personal narration to create an emotionally authentic exploration of her family's history.

• family secrets
• documentary storytelling
• themes
• memory
• truth

Harry Gulkin is revealed as Sarah Polley's biological father, representing the consequence of her mother's extramarital relationship. His involvement in the narrative complicates the family's history and adds complexity to themes of identity, belonging, and paternal relationships.

• harry gulkin
• biological father
• paternity
• identity

Michael Polley is Sarah Polley's father who serves as the narrator of the documentary. He offers personal insights into family dynamics and past events, providing a grounding perspective on the complex relationships that define the family's narrative while inviting understanding and empathy.

• michael polley
• father
• narrator
• family

Diane Polley is Sarah Polley's mother, whose life and choices are central to the documentary's narrative. Her untimely passing adds poignancy to the film and influences the emotional revelations surrounding family relationships and past secrets.

• diane polley
• mother
• family
• loss
• death

The documentary reveals that Sarah Polley's mother had an extramarital affair, resulting in Harry Gulkin being Sarah's biological father. This revelation challenges Sarah's understanding of her identity and redefines her perception of her family history.

• affair
• secret
• paternity
• revelation
• family truth

The film employs a mix of interviews with family members and personal narrations, interwoven with home video footage. This approach connects viewers to the filmmaker's journey of discovery, highlighting the emotional authenticity and significance of sharing one's truth through documentary storytelling.

• archival footage
• interviews
• documentary style
• home videos

Sarah Polley uses a layered investigative approach, combining interviews with relatives, narration from her father Michael Polley, and faux-home-video sequences. This method creates a multi-perspective narrative that explores memory, perception, and the subjective nature of family stories.

• sarah polley
• filmmaking
• investigative
• memory
• narrative

The film carries a melancholic tone driven by themes of loss, reflection, and reconciling a fractured family history. The emotional weight comes from family betrayal, grief over the mother's death, and the fundamental questioning of self-identity that emerges from the discovery process.

• melancholy
• emotion
• tone
• grief
• loss

The documentary has an ambiguous, open-ended feel because it focuses on the process of discovery rather than a simple resolution. The emotional outcome of learning these family truths is complex and left for viewers to interpret, emphasizing the ongoing nature of healing and understanding.

• ending
• resolution
• ambiguity
• interpretation
• discovery