Mutterjahre

Everything revolves around mother in the large Bronnman family in Cologne. Directors Heller and Banuls followed this family of nine children from 1974 to 2004. They documented three decades full of poverty and community spirit, which resulted in four documentaries about this close-knit family unit. Mother Karla voluntarily devoted her life to raising her children, which they appreciate greatly: the brothers Hansi and Andi are past thirty, but still share their old room at home. Daughter Rebecca still lives at home, too, and uses the TV as a window to the world. In this fourth part in the series, everything centres around the imminent death of Karla, who has been diagnosed with cancer. After she dies, the family tragically disintegrates. The greater part of the documentary was shot in the kitchen, on the couch and at the dining table, creating an intimate atmosphere in which everyone can speak out freely about their worries and ambitions. Slowly but surely, another image of this family emerges, in which unemployment, drug abuse and hopelessness have also found a place. Mutterjahre was preceded by Arm würd' ich nicht sagen (1976), Arm würd' ich nicht sagen oder die Kunst zu leben (1986) and Mama General (1998). (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)