First Cousin Once Removed [DVD]

Distinguished poet, translator, critic, and teacher Edwin Honig received worldwide praise, as well as honorary knighthoods from Spain and Portugal. First Cousin Once Removed is acclaimed filmmaker Alan Berliner's deeply personal portrait of Honig - his friend, cousin and mentor - and Honig's journey through the ravages of Alzheimer's disease. Shot over five years, the film documents his metamorphosis by weaving intimate conversations with Honig, his family and friends; home movies, poetry readings and a surprising array of visual metaphors to portray a wordsmith who may have lost his memory, but retains an enduring playfulness and the bearings of a deeply poetic soul. The result is an unflinching essay on the fragility of being human, and a stark reminder of the profound role that memory plays in all of our lives.