The film “Falling” marks the directorial debut of actor Viggo Mortensen. He also wrote and stars in the film. Mortensen tells NY1’s George Whipple that the story in “Falling” was influenced by circumstances in his own life.

“I was in the middle of trying to raise the money for another movie and my mother died and she had had dementia. And it's something I'm familiar with; both my parents had it, my stepdad, grandparents, I mean, there's been a lot of it, my family, and I've been close to it,” Mortensen said.

“I've been even in a caregiver role. So, I know it very well. The things I remember from childhood and adolescence, the dynamic between my parents, that is what's represented more than anything, what that felt like.”

In “Falling,” Lance Henriksen (“Alien”) plays Willis, an aging farmer who travels to Los Angeles for an indefinite stay with his son John, played by Mortensen.

Willis’ mental health is declining and adds more friction to a relationship already fraught with old wounds and mistrust. Henriksen tells Whipple he pulled from his childhood experiences in New York City for the role.

“I said, 'Viggo, I don't want to get caught acting.' That's the most important thing. And I'm going to try to back everything that I'm doing with the feelings and experiences of my childhood, which was really a New York, poor family. Super poor. And I thought I am absolutely going to dive into this role and live it,” Henriksen said.

Mortensen says he hopes “Falling” will serve as a springboard to communicating with those who have become estranged.

“I would say, never stop giving communication a chance. There is nobody that doesn’t deserve an attempt at communication. If it gives people the impetus to maybe make contact with someone they haven’t talked to for a long time, that’s worth it, I think,” Mortensen said.

"Falling" is available now, on demand.