GENRE: DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE), DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)
TYPE: FILM | IN-PERSON
KEYWORDS: AGING | DEMENTIA | GRIEF | FAMILY

German filmmaker Astrid Menzel makes her feature-length documentary debut with this incredibly personal and moving story of loss, love, and legacy. Following the death of her beloved grandfather E.O., the director and her brother embark on a 10-day canoe trip through the North of Germany with their widowed 86-year-old grandmother–a woman slowly succumbing to progressive dementia. Looking for some semblance of control at a time when grief seems insurmountable and change never-ending, a determined Menzel invites her grandmother to become a part of the planning and organization, looking for ways to connect with and involve her simultaneously. Eventually, the unlikely trio set out on a unique, emotional and unflinchingly honest journey that helps all three uncover different and changing perspectives on their existing relationships. With some distance and time come a little patience, unexpected joy and sorrow, and a brand new understanding of exactly what being there for someone you care about truly means.

Streams (online only) with Short Film:

White Noise | Tamara Scherbak | Canada | Drama | 2023 | 18 minutes | English with open captions

White Noise follows Ava, who suffers from misophonia – an extreme hyper-sensitivity to sound. When this reaches new terrifying heights, her doctor enrolls her in an experimental trial involving an anechoic chamber: the world’s quietest room.

PANEL

After the film enjoy a conversation with the film’s director Astrid Menzel; moderated by Jutta Brendemuehl from the Goethe Institut, Toronto.