For many of us, there are moments in life that we would rather forget. But for Aurelien, a 20-year-old student living in Durham, England, that wasn’t an option. He possesses a near-perfect memory and can recite specific events from random dates in the past with near-superhuman accuracy. The Boy Who Can’t Forget portrays Aurelien and others around the world as they share his unique gifts while exploring the mysterious depths of memory.
Filmmakers approach their subjects from a human and scientific perspective. Those with this ability do not employ complex memory techniques, nor do they hide any tricks. For them, remembering what day of the week a certain date was twenty years ago, and all the personal and world events that corresponded to that date, is as easy and natural as breathing.
It’s a talent that wows members of the scientific community. The film introduces us to one such character, a professor at the University of California who has spent years studying this phenomenon and is still struggling to find a plausible explanation. Another NYU professor offers his own tantalizing hypothesis, attributing it to a form of OCD, an allegation vehemently denied by others in the film.
The movie also gives us a sense of what it’s like to live with infinite memories, and how it can feel more like a curse than a blessing to some. Nature often provides us with the comfort of being away from unwanted moments in our lives and empowers us to cope with them, allowing those memories to fade in reflection. The film’s illustrious protagonists don’t enjoy this luxury, and they live with the overwhelming effects of this reality every day.
How are memories formed and stored? Do we all have the potential for full recall, or is it only granted to a select few? By solving these questions and more, The Boy Who Can’t Forget begins a fascinating exploration of the uncharted corridors of the human mind.
Directed by: Barnaby Peel
