Now

The film follows the conversation between a grandmother and her granddaughter (the author), which takes us on an adventure through memories. Travelling to different places and overlapping different time periods, this very warm and personal story speaks of universal fears born out of certain traumas and the need to break free from them. The author uses a dollhouse as the center of all feelings and memories, creating a sense of nostalgia for the time full of boundless imagination, dreams and the mysterious worlds of an uncorrupted soul. As if innocently playing with numerous memories, summoning them through the windows, putting them inside and looking out nostalgically. The dollhouse represents a place of reminiscence where different film techniques merge and blend. Tender childhood memories turn into war traumas. The resulting fear creates all-pervading anxiety and restlessness, while friendship and love once again encourage the strength of inner will and desire for a fulfilled life.

Director’s statement
The inspiration and motivation behind the film is my late grandfather, with whom I spent my first 7 years. Even after his passing, I have always felt a close connection to him. What surprised me the most was the fact that he was making stop-motion animations, which I found out after making my first animated movie. As a German, my grandfather was forced by the Nazi army to serve on the Eastern Front in Russia. When he lost his hand, he was sent back to the hospital. But that did not stop him from living a fulfilling life – with the help of a prosthetic hook he climbed Mount Blanc, travelled, loved nature and people, as can all be seen in his footage. He found beauty in the details, wrote poetry, drew, shot and edited 8 mm films. His life was dominated by an understanding and acceptance of diversity, so by exploring his legacy, I want to speak about the futility of hate and war, encourage the viewers to strive towards achieving their desires, to oppose passivity and anxiety.