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Her joy is temporary because her health is rapidly declining

Scenario

Lissy enjoys her husband Gerda’s deterioration in the home. Even Leo Tolstoy knew that every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. This is also clear to the German film director Matthias GLASNER, who for his new film DYING was awarded the Silver Bear at BERLINALE 2024. But he can add the theme of the North German Protestant variety, which further enhances the family melancholy. Lissy Lunies (Corinna HARFOUCH) and her husband Gerd (Hans Uwe BAUER) live in a small northern German town and are already seriously affected by old age.

Accepting help is hard for both of us

Their two children live far away and are hard hit by their own problems. Son Tom (Lars EIDINGER) lives in Berlin and is somewhat successful as a conductor, but is hopelessly embroiled in private quarrels. Daughter Ellen (Lilith STANGENBERG) lives in Hamburg and is so committed to a life soaked in alcohol that she wakes up in Latvia after a night of drinking. It’s true! They both deal with their parents in different ways' weaknesses and own inadequacies.

A melancholic film from the German-speaking world!

The fact that the film does not become boring during its three-hour duration is thanks to the fantastic cast, which also includes Anna BEDERKE, Robert GWISDEK, Saerom PARK, Saskia ROSENDAHL and Ronald ZEHRFELD. German actors Corinna HARFOUCH (1989 EUROPEAN FILM AWARD nominee for TREFFEN IN TRAVERS) and Hans Uwe BAUER were awarded the 2024 GERMAN FILM AWARD for their great performances. The showdown at the table between HARFOUCH and EIDINGER is one of the most impressive things seen in German cinema in recent years. The Lunies family is unhappy in its own way. Haven’t we seen enough of that already?

Yes and no

Of course, as a moviegoer you wonder if this is typically German (or at least North German) or if it would be possible in other cultures. But Matthias GLASNER aims very high and follows the example of film giants such as Ingmar BERGMAN and Federico FELLINI. After all, it was not for nothing that Tom Lunies preferred to watch the four-hour TV version of FANNY OCH ALEXANDER (1983) on Christmas Eve. And the character played by Robert GWISDEK (Harfouch’s son in real life) reminds me at least of Steiner played by Alain CUNY in LA DOLCE VITA (1959). Of course, depressed German cinema is not everyone’s cup of tea.

We definitely recommend!

But the way the story is so close to reality has a very special impact that you should definitely expose yourself to.