The Eternal Memory

I'd keep my Paramount Plus trial for a full subscription, but a vast majority of its content is already covered by MGM Plus and even Amazon Prime. The Eternal Memory, one of this year's Oscar nominees for Best Documentary, is only available for free on Paramount Plus now. So, I made time for it.

Maite Alberdi follows up The Mole Agent with this portrait of Augusto Góngora and his second wife, Paulina Urrutia. Góngora, who died back in May, was a newscasting legend who covered the crimes of the Pinochet regime and later worked at TVN as a host. Paulina is an actress who once served as the Minister of Culture and the Arts. They lived together for nineteen years before they married in 2016, right when Augusto came down with Alzheimer's.

"Pauli," as Augusto called her, actually shot much of the film herself in 2020 during that pandemic. So, we're right with her as she helps him cope with the disease. She continuously jogs his memories of her, his family, and his considerable life. But Augusto's mind deteriorates faster than either of them can exercise it. They still stick together despite the strain of it all.

The film works on multiple fronts. It's a strong portrait of a marriage in its golden years. We see Pauli patiently work Augusto's memories as soon as they wake up together in the first scene. Her subsequent mental curriculum for him is charming to watch. He shows up to watch her rehearse and act in her latest play. We even see home movies of them together in the 90's. It's all the more tragic when Augusto later grows irritable and even fails to recognize his own reflection. He and Pauli are overwhelmed as they realize he's become trapped in his own failing mind. But as I said, they still stuck it out, and their last scene together is quite moving.

It's also an excellent portrait of the daily lives of two interesting people. It's quite amazing to learn about their collective careers. Pauli regarded herself as a public servant with her acting career, of which we see a good highlight reel. I'm sure she made the most of her career as Culture Minister. Augusto covered everything from Pinochet's coup to his regime's various crimes against their people. His account of the Caso Degollados scandal is quite harrowing. He later collaborated on the book, The Forbidden Memory, to make sure the victims wouldn't be forgotten. His later career as a tv host, and occasional actor, brings us the delightful story of him acting in a miniseries directed by legendary filmmaker Raul Ruiz. They've achieved quite a lot, and if you've seen Blade Runner, you'll understand Roy Batty's last words as Augusto's memories fade "like tears in rain."

Who knows if The Eternal Memory will win the Oscar in a few weeks. But you should still check it out if you have Paramount Plus. Anyone unfamiliar with its subjects will learn quite a lot about their lives and careers. It'll especially resonate with older couples or their grown kids. It's only 84-minutes, and you'll be enthralled in no time. Now for the next review.