In Sweden, they rebuilt their lives after the Shoah and started families with many children and grandchildren - “my revenge on Hitler,” as Mimi says. Even in old age, they remain admirably active and engaged with the world. Yet news such as the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, brings back memories that have never left them. They find it easier to speak about these experiences with their grandchildren than with their own children. The film follows them in conversations and at public appearances, where they speak as some of the last survivors. It becomes clear that the trauma they experienced has not been “processed,” whatever that may mean. Many memories are so immense and incomprehensible that, even decades later, the women still struggle to comprehend them and wonder how they managed to survive. One survival strategy in the years that followed was, and remains, playing bridge. They play in groups of four, with different partners, and alone on the computer. The effect is therapeutic: the game focuses attention on the here and now, demands concentration, and calms the nerves.
Text: Susanne Stern
Special Screening
09.05. 17:00 at OBENKINO Cottbus
Straße der Jugend 16 | 03046 Cottbus