Reel Mind Film Festival: “The Genius of Marian” Screening
The Genius of Marian, the award-winning Alzheimer's documentary from Mirabel Pictures directed by Banker White and Anna Fitch, will screen at the Reel Mind Film Festival in Rochester, NY on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 7pm.
Tickets are available at FilmFreeway.com/TheReelMind/Tickets
What’s the Reel Mind Film Festival?
Since 2009, Reel Mind has been running in Rochester, NY - bringing films, performances, and conversations about mental health to a city that takes this kind of programming seriously. It's not a typical film festival. There's no red carpet. No competition. The point is the conversation that happens after the credits roll. And we, the filmmakers, are honored The Genius of Marian is being featured this year.
Why This Year's Program is Different
Past Reel Mind events have covered grief, suicide, and a range of mental health conditions. This year the festival has narrowed its focus to a single subject: dementia.
The 2026 program - "Life in the Time of Dementia: Stories of Memory and Change" - runs across three Wednesdays in May, each with a different film and a separate panel discussion. The three films are:
May 13: Facing the Wind (US, 2024) - follows two women whose husbands are diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, and the podcast community they build together
May 20: The Genius of Marian (US, 2013) - Banker White's documentary about his mother Pam's early-onset Alzheimer's and the legacy of her mother, painter Marian Williams Steele
May 27: Human Forever (Netherlands, 2023) - a global look at how different cultures care for people living with dementia
Three films, three conversations. The series is designed to be attended as a whole, but each night stands on its own.
The Little Theater and What to Expect on the Night
The Little Theater at 240 East Avenue has been Rochester's home for independent and international cinema since 1929. It's a five-screen venue in the East End neighborhood, and it's exactly the right setting for this kind of film. The room is intimate. The audience tends to be engaged.
Each screening will be followed by a panel discussion with mental health professionals, filmmakers, and community members. It's organized in partnership with the University of Rochester and NAMI Rochester.
Doors open at 6:30pm. The film starts at 7pm. The interactive discussion follows the screening. Panelists haven't been announced yet - checkreelmindfilmfest.com for updates as the date gets closer.
If cost is a barrier, Reel Mind offers discounted tickets on request. You can reach out through the contact page on their website.
How to Get Tickets
Tickets are available now through FilmFreeway:FilmFreeway.com/TheReelMind/Tickets
The Genius of Marian screens on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 7pm at The Little Theater, 240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604. If you're planning to attend all three screenings, the other dates are May 13 (Facing the Wind) and May 27 (Human Forever).
Three films, three conversations, one subject that touches more families than most people realize.
If you're in the Rochester area, we'd truly encourage you to come join us on May 20th. Dementia touches so many families and this feels like one of those events created not just for watching a film, but for being in a space around the experience of memory, change, caregiving and connection. The filmmakers and their families hope to see you there.