Film
Vergiss mein nicht

Sun, 24.06.2018
4:00 PM New Plymouth, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery

Director: David Sieveking, colour, 88 min., 2011/12

Gretel, filmmaker David Sieveking’s mother, suffers from dementia. To lighten the burden on his father, the son takes care of the old lady on his own for a few weeks. At the same time, he works on a film about her and her story, which now also includes the Alzheimer patient’s increasing shortcomings. A breach of taboo? Should one be allowed to capture on camera this intimate closeness within the family, even if they agreed to the film, and make it public? 'Vergiss mein nicht' has a clear answer to this question. One may, if one approaches the project in the same way as David Sieveking does: free of any type of voyeurism, and yet with great sensitivity, tenderness and respect. “The tragedy surrounding my mother has given rise not to a film about an illness, but a film about love, filled with melancholic cheerfulness.” (David Sieveking)