BATON ROUGE — In 2007, Jacob Savoie was a typical LSU senior preparing for graduation, but as his final semester progressed, what felt like a routine case of the flu spiraled into a medical nightmare that would strip away his memories.

Nearly two decades later, Savoie is returning to Baton Rouge to share his journey through the lens of his new docudrama, "My Missing Mind," screening at the Varsity Theatre on Jan. 23 and 24.

Savoie was diagnosed with encephalitis, a rare and often fatal neurological disease characterized by acute inflammation of the brain. The onset was swift and devastating.

"Not only could I not remember names and places and people I've known forever, but you make a lot of poor decisions," Savoie recalled. "The only way to describe it was I was a 22-year-old with the common sense of a 6-year-old."

At the height of the illness, Savoie’s cognitive functions were so impaired that he was unable to eat, drink, or form coherent sentences. The memory loss was so profound that he failed to recognize his own mother. His mother notes that while he is healthy today, the illness left permanent marks on his personality- changes Savoie himself says he can't perceive.

"I’m just glad to live my life and be who I am and just get a second chance," Savoie said.

Now living in Houston with his wife and two children, Savoie has turned his trauma into advocacy. He serves on the board of Encephalitis 411, a nonprofit organization that provided the support necessary to bring his story to the screen at Varsity Theatre.

While the film deals with the harrowing reality of a brain injury, Savoie also intended for it to be a visual tribute to the state that fostered his recovery. "My Missing Mind" features extensive footage of the landscapes that helped him heal, from the streets of Baton Rouge to his hometown of Carencro, as well as Lafayette and Alexandria.

"We wanted to make sure people see how beautiful southern Louisiana really is," Savoie explained, noting that the culture of the region is woven into the fabric of the film.

Learn more about the documentary here.