For many, the idea of being alone and isolated is an unimaginable concept. But for Joyce Vincent, this was the tragic reality for three years after her mysterious death in her London flat in 2003. It wasn’t until 2006 that her remains were discovered, leaving behind a haunting question: What happened to Joyce?
This question is explored in Carol Morley’s 2011 documentary Dreams of a Life, which uses interviews with those who knew Joyce best to try and uncover the secrets of her life and death. In an effort to piece together the events leading up to her passing, the film paints a vivid portrait of a woman whose life had been unravelling due to disconnection from family and friends. It reveals how it’s possible to live in such loneliness without anyone realizing your absence until it’s too late.
Through archival footage and home movie footage from when Joyce was younger, we are shown a woman of vibrancy and passion for life. As we learn more about Joyce’s final days however, the film takes on a much darker tone; one where isolation and loneliness can be so deeply felt that it leads someone down a path of despair and hopelessness.
Dreams of a Life is an absorbing exploration into one woman’s tragedy that serves as an important reminder that no one should ever feel alone or disconnected from