HELLO NEW BODY, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? | DOCUMENTARY | BY LAURA KANSY
In her early 30s, filmmaker Laura Kansy is torn from her normal life by ME/CFS, a currently incurable neuroimmune disease. Suddenly, her body is barely functional, her days reduced to a few hours outside of bed, and her future uncertain. In this very personal documentary, Laura explores how to live with a chronic illness that changes not only the body, but also relationships, self-image and one's own identity. From her bed, she creates a film that combines observations, a cinematic diary and animations. It tells of dependence, pain and loneliness, but also of confidence and the tireless attempt to give one's own spirit a new home in a sick body. ‘What does a life worth living mean when everything you previously took for granted is suddenly impossible?’ asks the film – and at the same time offers a poetic and radically personal view of the reality of hundreds of thousands of people living with ME/CFS or Long Covid.
Author, Director LAURA KANSY | Co-Author, Director of Photography, Sound, Editor ÖVÜNÇ BARAN GÜVENISIK | Editing Assistant OSKAR ZOCHE | Additional Cinematography MAREK LÜCK, HANNES SCHULZE | Sound ZITA ERFFA, ÖVÜNÇ BARAN GÜVENISIK | Drawings, Animations MONIKA HUBER, HANNAH KANSY, LAURA KANSY | Sound Design, Mixing NILS PLAMBECK | Color Grading CHRISTOPH HANISCH | Post Production Supervisor THEO BASS | Editorial FILM FIVE JULIA MILZ | Line Producer SILKE STILLIG | Producer DANIEL MORAIS DOS SANTOS BRUSS | Executive Producer YAN SCHOENEFELD, STEFAN KAUERTZ, FLORIAN SCHEWE
AWARDS:
Jury statement:
“With rare courage and magnificent sensitivity, HELLO NEW BODY, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? manages to portray what seems impossible to portray: the protagonist’s inner world and her invisible chronic condition, ME/CFS. In doing so, the film consistently translates this experience into a distinct cinematic form. This film must have been made in a situation where nothing seems more impossible than producing a film. Director Laura Kansy has more than succeeded in this. It is also the result of a production process that has adapted to the conditions of disability beyond fixed time constraints. The film thus impressively demonstrates that fair, sustainable film productions, oriented towards the needs of those involved, are not only necessary but also open up new artistic spaces.”
“With rare courage and magnificent sensitivity, HELLO NEW BODY, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? manages to portray what seems impossible to portray: the protagonist’s inner world and her invisible chronic condition, ME/CFS. In doing so, the film consistently translates this experience into a distinct cinematic form. This film must have been made in a situation where nothing seems more impossible than producing a film. Director Laura Kansy has more than succeeded in this. It is also the result of a production process that has adapted to the conditions of disability beyond fixed time constraints. The film thus impressively demonstrates that fair, sustainable film productions, oriented towards the needs of those involved, are not only necessary but also open up new artistic spaces.”
BROADCASTING PARTNERS:
