The Rest I Make Up

One of America’s greatest playwrights, Maria Irene Fornes was born in Havana, moved to the US in her teens, and rose to prominence in the 1960s Off-off Broadway scene with her wildly innovative, endlessly playful approach to language and form. She has won nine OBIEs, been nominated for a Pulitzer and transformed countless lives as an educator. Fornes was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s more than a decade ago, but, as this alluringly intimate documentary reveals, she retains her charisma and wonder. Featuring glowing testaments by the likes of Edward Albee, Paula Vogel and Lanford Wilson, The Rest I Make Up tracks director Michelle Memran’s journey of meeting Fornes in New York, escorting her on a visit to Cuba, following her relocation to Miami, and listening to her reminiscence about past loves, such as Susan Sontag. This is a story of dizzying artistic heights, enduring grace, and unexpected friendship. (Miami Film Festival)