Her Head in Films

In this episode, I talk about Carol Morley's haunting 2011 documentary, "Dreams of a Life," which tells the tragic story of Joyce Carol Vincent, a woman who died in 2003 but whose body wasn't discovered in her apartment until 2006. No one reported her missing or noticed she was gone. Joyce was beautiful, talented, and had lovers and friends throughout her life. How had this woman been completely forgotten? Morley spent years searching for answers. Her film includes interviews with people who knew Joyce and re-enactments that imagine what she was like. In the end, Morley constructs a portrait of a complicated, mysterious, and ultimately unknowable woman, and she also probes important themes such as loneliness, disconnection, and the breakdown of community.

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Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan

Full show notes:

• More about "Nitrate Flames"
• My episode on The Passion of Joan of Arc
• New York Times article "A Generation in Japan Faces a Lonely Death"
• The Hours by Michael Cunningham
• Wintering by Kate Moses
• Carol Morley vs Kevin Macdonald: video interview exclusive (Timeout)
• Dreams of a Life: interview with director Carol Morley (Telegraph)
• Joyce Carol Vincent: How could this young woman lie dead and undiscovered for almost three years? (The Guardian)