Hi John,

Have you ever watched a movie and suddenly saw a part of your experience reflected back? That’s exactly what happened to me with American Fiction and Maestro, two films that are up for Best Picture at the Oscars tonight. 

The protagonists of both these films become family caregivers – and they’re not the only ones. In fact, many of tonight’s nominees reflect authentic, nuanced care stories like the ones in our own lives.

American Fiction, The Eternal Memory, Maestro, and Nai Nai & Wài Pó are all very different types of films, but they share a common thread of care that resonates with all of us. Read more about how care shows up across this year’s Oscar-nominated films in our latest blog. 

Read our blog

One of these films in particular stood out to me — American Fiction. 

While American Fiction has been celebrated for its satire about race and respectability politics in the U.S., the story underneath is about family and care. Monk (played by Jefferey Wright), a struggling Black author, unexpectedly becomes his mother's caregiver when she's diagnosed with dementia. He goes to great lengths to be able to afford the high cost of care. It’s refreshing to see a mainstream story acknowledge just how expensive good care can be. Depictions like this that reflect our reality show us that we’re not the only ones facing challenges and can help open up conversations about new solutions. They can also help us start to imagine and create a world where every caregiver and care recipient feels seen, heard, and supported.

Check out our blog about the other ways care shows up in films for this year’s Oscars. 

I’ll be rooting for these films to win tonight. I hope you’ll join me!

With care, 

Lydia Storie, Director of Culture Change

Caring Across Generations