A Whole Life

After the success of the novel "The Tobacconist," filmmakers are once again choosing the theme provided by Robert Seethaler. A Whole Life is a fictionalized declaration of love for the harsh beauty of the Alpine Valley. As a dramatic arc, it depicts the life of an ordinary person whose fate was shaped by the 20th century with all its positives and negatives. A spiritual connection between man and the landscape, between life and death. A strong experience in the best tradition of mountain films. (01/29/2024)

Based on the promo photos, A Whole Life appears to be just another bit of romantic alpine kitsch. In reality, however, it is the nicest film about life in the mountains, as well as life in general, to come out in recent years. It also offers the nicest alpine panoramas to be seen in a feature film in recent years. The choice of locations and the filmed details (the bus ride) bear witness to the director’s relationship to the mountains and will elicit a feeling of déjà vu in some viewers – we will repeatedly go back to it for the magical fragments in the subconscious perception of the high mountain landscape, where we will find peace of mind. The characters are perfectly formed and stage actor Stefan Gorski does a flawless job of portraying the protagonist. The heart of the film is the scene in which he leads his fiancée to a mountain cabin and shows and explains to her why he has settled there. Another attractive theme of the film consists in the building of the first cable cars and the electrification of the mountain villages – and the fatal injuries that occurred during the particularly hard physical work – associated with it. Great, constantly “floating” camerawork and music that is always perfectly appropriate. And that epilogue... (11/06/2023)