On the heels of her critically acclaimed films Take this Waltz and Away From Her, director Sarah Polley has turned to documentary for her newest film, Stories We Tell. As with her narrative films, Stories We Tell explores the nature of a long relationship, and this time around it’s one of her own. Featuring interviews with her father and her family, Polley sets out on a journey of discovery as she attempts to uncover hidden truths and connect disparate versions and personal accounts of her family’s story. Polley explains in the trailer “I’m interested in the way we tell stories about our lives. About the fact that the truth about the past is often ephemeral and difficult to pin down.” The film — which takes some extraordinary turns and is filled with some profoundly revealing moments — has proven challenging to review for critics who are unanimously praising the film as a masterpiece, yet are tip-toeing delicately with their words in order to not spoil the doc’s numerous surprises for those who have not yet seen it. Mary Corliss of TIME writes Stories We Tell is “A revelation. Sarah Polley has transformed the secrets and lies of her own life into glowing artistic truth.” And A.O. Scott of The New York Times raves “A remarkable movie; must be seen to be believed.”
SEE ALSO: Sarah Polley’s Toronto Love Story “Take This Waltz” With Michelle Williams Getting Rave Reviews