Das Leben als Ganzes

Autobiographic memory is an elementary part of man’s identity. It records life as an entity, brings together the situations from childhood until adulthood and constitutes »self-consciousness«. What happens, however, if one gradually and entirely loses one´s memories? If there is nothing left than a diffuse fear and a helpless dependency in the ritualized daily routine of an old people´s home? This film about the director´s own mother traces the cracks, values and possibilities of a life, tries to put together what is in gradual dissolution. The most striking turning points – fleeing from Silesia, marriage, children, divorce – result in the portrait of a life and finally characterize the image of an illness, resembling the Alzheimer disease. (DOK.fest München)