He spent his life protecting Chile’s memory. Now he’s losing his own. This doc follows journalist Augusto Góngora and actress Paulina Urrutia as they fight Alzheimer’s together.
I first heard about this documentary from Mark Kennedy of the Associated Press.
Trailer for “The Eternal Memory”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Augusto spent decades preserving Chile’s national memory by documenting human rights abuses under the Pinochet dictatorship. Now Alzheimer’s slowly erases his own personal memories.
- At one point, Paulina shows Augusto old video clips of himself reporting on Chilean history. He watches intently but has no idea the journalist on screen is him.
- Paulina transforms their apartment into a memory archive. She covers the walls with photos, notes, and videos to help Augusto remember who he is and the life they built together.
Watch “The Eternal Memory”
You can watch “The Eternal Memory” on Prime Video, Apple TV, or Paramount+.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 92/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 93/100 (Users); 92/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi directs this intimate documentary. She specializes in human-centered stories about aging, memory, and overlooked lives.
Release Date: August 11, 2023
My Review of “The Eternal Memory”
The Setup
Augusto Góngora was one of Chile’s most respected journalists. In the 1980s and 1990s he hosted cultural TV programs and reported on the crimes committed during the Pinochet dictatorship (1973–1990). His work helped document stories of torture, disappearances, and censorship during that era.
His wife, Paulina Urrutia—known as “Pauli”—is a famous Chilean actress. She later served as Chile’s Minister of Culture and the Arts from 2006 to 2010.
They’ve been together for 23 years. Eight years before filming, Augusto was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The documentary follows their daily life as Paulina becomes his caregiver while trying to preserve the identity of the man she loves.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Augusto keeps journals and recordings to help remember his past. Watching him try to piece together his own life is both painful and beautiful.
- The film blends home videos, television footage, and present-day scenes to show the contrast between Augusto’s vibrant career and his fading memory.
- Paulina constantly reminds Augusto of their love story—how they met, traveled, and built a life together.
- There are moments when Augusto forgets Paulina’s name or their relationship entirely—then suddenly remembers again hours later.
- The film quietly parallels Augusto’s personal memory loss with Chile’s struggle to preserve the memory of its dictatorship years.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Augusto was one of the first journalists in Chile to publicly archive testimonies from victims of the dictatorship.
- Paulina kept detailed notes about Augusto’s daily condition so she could track how his memory changed over time.
- The documentary includes dozens of home video clips the couple filmed themselves over the years.
- Director Maite Alberdi spent years gaining the couple’s trust before filming intimate scenes inside their home.
Wrap Up
“The Eternal Memory” is one of the most emotional documentaries about Alzheimer’s I’ve seen. It shows how love can keep someone’s story alive. Even when their own mind can’t hold onto it anymore.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc