A New Animated Film Is Bringing the Reality of an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis to the Screen
- Elder Love USA
- May 19
- 2 min read
A new animated film is shining a deeply personal light on Alzheimer’s disease, caregiving, and the emotional weight many families carry every day.
Based on Sarah Leavitt’s 2010 graphic memoir Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me, the film follows Sarah, a young activist and illustrator living in 1990s San Francisco whose life suddenly changes when her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Forced to leave behind her life in San Francisco, Sarah returns home to help care for her mother.
Sarah must navigate difficult family dynamics, changing relationships, and the overwhelming demands that often come with supporting a loved one living with dementia.
It captures something many people with loved ones diagnosed with dementia can deeply relate to.
A Personal Film
The project also carries personal significance for its producers, Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen.
Lauren Miller Rogen’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in her 50s, similar to Sarah’s mother in the film.
Lauren has also lost her grandmother and grandfather to the disease, giving her firsthand experience with the devastating impact Alzheimer’s can have across generations of a family.
In 2025, Lauren and Seth also produced the documentary Taking Care, which documented their family’s journey caring for Lauren’s mother, Adele, who was diagnosed with genetic early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 55.
The couple has spoken publicly about the emotional and practical realities of caregiving and the urgent need for more support for families affected by dementia.
Together, they founded Hilarity for Charity, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.
The organization focuses on caregiver support, brain health education, prevention research, and increasing awareness surrounding dementia.
The Film's Impact
Stories like this matter because they help make the reality of a dementia diagnosis felt.
They remind audiences that Alzheimer’s disease affects entire families, not just the person diagnosed.
They also help reduce stigma surrounding dementia while opening conversations about the wide range of emotional, physical, and relational challenges loved ones often endure.
For many viewers, the film may feel painfully familiar.
For others, it may offer a new understanding of what families living with Alzheimer’s disease experience behind closed doors every day.
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