Interview
Actress Sabina Moore gives us a closer look on her journey filming Trying Memory and the lines between fiction and reality
L. M. WAINSCOTT • 14 OCT 2024
Sabina Moore as Mabel while filming Trying Memory.
Headlined by Sabina Moore and Chloe Crawford, Ruben Harjono's short film Trying Memory is set to premiere at the 2024 North Bay Film Festival in November, where it will precede MacKenzie Donaldson's Canadian feature film All the Lost Ones. Sabina talks about her journey as an actress and how she brought Mabel to life.
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The film's emotional arc feels so personal: this story that could have taken place within a few months, or a couple of days. How did you tackle Mabel's frame of mind?
Sabina Moore:​ Ruben guided me through his vision, but he also showed complete trust in my performance; and as a fairly new actress, this was very empowering. It also created a great atmosphere to perform such a challenging character.
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How important was the atmosphere of the set for you to feel safe enough to be in Mabel's shoes?
Very. The crew was incredible. You could tell they knew each other prior to the shoot and are used to working with one another. Their understanding of each other's talents allowed us to shoot an amazing film in a limited time.
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Do you feel a closeness to Mabel?
Mabel could have easily been me, which allowed me to slip into her shoes fairly easily. It helped me with the most challenging part of the role which was facing the reality of her situation and her emotions.
At times, it felt surreal as I almost felt like I was seeing how my life could turn. ​I think every role is a growing experience; however, Mabel being so close to my reality, this definitely shook me and allowed me to explore some very raw emotions.​
The main subject of the story is never really mentioned in the film, but viewers could piece it together, or not, by its end. How important was it for you to know the stakes while making this movie?
The story of Mabel is fiction, but Alzheimer's disease is unfortunately very real for so many families. Ruben's storytelling masterfully brings to life the sacrifice, the love and the patience of all those who care for patients affected by this terrible disease—this is why this film will be so relatable to its viewers.
'Trying Memory' has concluded its festival run and is now available to watch on Daisy's House YouTube channel worldwide.