the directors Matteo Botrugno and Daniele Coluccini.

A BREATH OF LIFE (Original title: C'È UN SOFFIO DI VITA SOLTANTO)

The uplifting, yet never sentimental documentary portrait, celebrated its German premiere at the Filmfest last summer and tells the story of an extraordinary figure in contemporary history:

At 95, Lucy is the oldest transsexual woman in Italy and one of the few remaining survivors of the Dachau concentration camp. Her turbulent life becomes a metaphor about the human will to persevere. Lucy's reflections are not only full of wisdom, but testify to a young-at-heart, almost indestructible sense of cheerfulness. Above all, there is an enthusiasm for the cosmos.

Her life provides an opportunity to reflect on a number of current debates, such as gender identity. The film traces the stages of Lucy's life: from abused child to homosexual boy, from rudimentary hormone therapy to gender reassignment surgery. Lucy's story represents the history of the 20th century. Her tumultuous life events are a metaphor for a humanity that does not give up and cherishes memory as the most important gift of history.

The occasion for the screening is the exhibition "TO BE SEEN. queer lives 1900-1950", which is dedicated to the stories of LGBTIQ* in Germany in the first half of the 20th century. With historical testimonies and artistic positions from then to the present, it traces queer life plans and networks, free spaces and persecution, and takes an intimate look at diverse genders, bodies and identities.

Further information can also be found on the website of the NS-Dokumentationszentrum.

At the 39th FILMFEST MUNICH, Matteo Botrugno and Daniele Coluccini participated in the Filmmakers Live! talk titled "Trans(visions) in Cinema", which you can watch here: