The Stories we tell is a documentary by Sarah Polley about her mother. Diane Polley, Sarah’s mother, died of cancer when Sarah was 11 years. Sarah learns that her mother had extramarital affairs later in life. Sarah interviews family members and close friends about her mother. The interviewees include Michael, Sarah’s father, Susy and Joanna, Sarah’s older sisters, and Mark and John, her older brother. She introduces them as storytellers. Although she has had a strong bond with her father, Sarah discovers that her biological father is Harry Gulkin, a Canadian-based film actor.
Sarah requests all the interview subjects to narrate the “story from the beginning until now.” She cunningly complements the narration with photos of her mother. All the storytellers describe her as the right person. Sarah is eager to know everything about her mother’s life. The individual recollection of every storyteller shows that Diane was a good person who wanted to enjoy life to the fullest. The investigation to know the truth presents Sarah as a person who is obsessed with knowing the truth.
The film emphasizes the importance of knowing the truth with certainty. Sarah highlights the need to tell stories because they enable people to know themselves and their family members well. Beliefs about truth may change, but the truth itself does not change. Many people thought that Sarah’s father is Michael, but the truth revealed otherwise. Therefore, truths are absolute.
