Diane Polley, the mother of Canadian actress and director Sarah Polley, was, by all accounts, a vivacious woman who could light up a room upon her arrival. She was ditzy, impulsive and passionate, with a big horsey laugh. If an actress had played her on-screen, it would have been Gena Rowlands, for sure.
Diane, a wannabe actress in the 1970s who mostly abandoned her career after marrying her onstage co-star Michael Polley, would have loved to be on the big screen. But instead, she had kids and supported her man, and mostly remained the homemaker, except for one middle-aged foray into theater. Sarah was her fifth and last child; Diane died from cancer when Sarah was only 11 years old.
Sarah, of course, is now one of Canada's best-known talents — recognized as an actress in films as diverse as "The Sweet Hereafter" and Zach Snyder's "Dawn of the Dead" remake, and for directing "Away From Her" (2006) and "Take This Waltz" (2011). "Stories We Tell" is a documentary that looks into memories of her mother.