What is The Lin Myszkowski Documentary Project and how did it come to be?
The Lin Myszkowski Documentary Project is an intimate documentary chronicling the evolving love story of our parents, John and Lin Myszkowski, as they navigate the impact of Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA), a rare form of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Lin, a trained opera singer, activist, and teacher, spent her life using her voice for advocacy and art—now, she faces a condition that gradually takes that voice away.
The film blends cinéma vérité storytelling with rich archival footage and personal interviews to explore how identity, memory, and relationships are shaped by illness. Through our unique position as Lin’s daughters, we are able to capture deeply personal moments of care and connection that illuminate the dignity in caregiving and the ways love endures despite profound change.
At its heart, this film is both a meditation on devotion and a celebration of Lin’s remarkable life. It aims to break the silence around dementia, offering a deeply personal yet universal perspective on love, loss, and resilience.
Who inspired you to grapple with dementia?
This project was born out of necessity — our mother’s diagnosis changed our family forever. As filmmakers and as daughters, we found ourselves documenting moments of care, connection, and change, first as a way to process our own grief and then as a way to honor Lin’s story.
Dementia often isolates not just those diagnosed, but their caregivers as well. By telling this story, we hope to open up conversations about the emotional realities of caregiving and the complex beauty of loving someone through profound change.
How has working on dementia-related art changed you?
This project has fundamentally shifted how we think about storytelling, memory and time. As filmmakers, we are drawn to stories that reveal the depth of human connection, and dementia, in its own way, redefines what connection means.
Our mom’s essence remains, even as the way she expresses herself changes with the progression of her disease. This understanding has influenced how we approach narrative—focusing on presence over loss, and the beauty in moments of care. Our mom’s journey with PCA has made it increasingly important for us to capture stories about her past before they fade. Through the lens of this project, we’ve reached out to old friends and family to document stories and rekindle connections that might otherwise be lost. These connections are an active form of preservation, not just of her stories, but of her essence as the person who shaped our lives. In a strange way, it feels like a privilege to be prompted to explore these parts of Lin’s life, to hear firsthand narrations that she can no longer share from people close to her.
While this is our first feature-length documentary, it is deeply personal and aligns with our ongoing exploration of identity, family, and resilience.
How has The Lin Myszkowski Documentary Project been received?
As the film is still in production, we haven’t yet shared footage publicly, but family and close friends who have seen early clips have expressed deep emotional connections to the story, saying that the film captures nuances of caregiving and memory loss.
We hope to engage with broader audiences, particularly caregivers and dementia advocacy communities, as we move toward completion.
This work is dedicated to: Our parents, Lin and John Myszkowski.
It is also dedicated to the countless families navigating dementia, especially those who feel unseen in their experiences. Lin’s story is uniquely hers, but the emotions, struggles, and moments of grace within it are universal. We hope this film honors not just her legacy, but also our father’s unwavering love and dedication as her primary caregiver. His story is just as central to this journey—a testament to devotion, resilience, and the quiet, everyday acts of care that define true partnership.
Find more from Olivia Myszkowski on Instagram and LinkedIn and Sophia Myszkowski on her website and LinkedIn.
