THE FILM - COMING 2010
How free are we in our relationship with money?
Is it possible to feel rich without possessions?
(Photo: Martin Bruckmanns)
Background Heidemarie Schwermer
Heidemarie Schwermer (68) worked for many years as a psychotherapist and teacher in Dortmund, Germany. Like most people around her, she spent most of her time working and earning money in order to buy the things she needed - and things she didn’t really need. As a psychotherapist she met many who were depressed and frustrated, over-worked and with very little spare time. Among the unemployed and poor she found that they often considered themselves worthless.
Heidemarie got the idea to start an exchange circle, where people without money could trade objects and favors. Through the exchange circle people came in contact with each other in a new way. They felt useful and worthy, and also appreciated the social aspect. After a while, Heidemarie decided to do an experiment. She cancelled her flat, donated all her things to friends and started a new life based on exchanging favors – without the use of money. Her goal was to create a greater awareness of the relationship to money and consumption.
 
At first she stayed with friends and acquaintances, took care of their houses when they were away for holiday or journeys and in return she received food and a place to live. Over the years, she has inspired the start-up of exchange circles throughout Germany. She wrote a book about her way of life, and the word about her lifestyle has spread. Today, she has lived without money for 14 years, and claims she has never felt so free. In the film ”Living Without Money,” we follow Heidemarie in her daily-life and learn about her life story and philosophy.
|
|
FILM CLIP - TRAILER
A new trailer for the film can bee seen here:
Narrative structure
In the film ”Living Without Money” we follow Heidemarie in her day-to-day life and experience how she goes about to find work, food and a place to stay. In addition to showing the daily challenges she meets from living without money, the film goes deeper into explaining Heidemarie’s life philosophy and why she has chosen to live this way.
The film reflects around themes of materialism and over-consumption - how money influences our way of thinking, living and acting – and the consequences this has on our life, health and the environment.
Visual approach
The film is in a cinema verité style where we follow Heidemarie in her daily life without interrupting or staging any scenes. The camera style is calm, quiet and low-key while the story is very authentic and full of humor and surprises - with beautiful shots of her in action and descriptions of the people and environment she lives in. We have spent a considerable amount of time with Heidemarie to understand and illustrate her life and lifestyle and to present an interesting and thought-provoking portrait of a very original and brave person.
THE DIRECTOR
Line Halvorsen has worked as a director and editor on more than 20 documentaries and travel series for Norwegian and international television since 1997. Many of these have focused on human rights issues. She received her degree in film at the University of Trondheim and specialized in documentary film at Volda College, Norway.
From 2002-2004, Halvorsen lived in Bethlehem on the Occupied West Bank where she made the award-winning documentary “A Stone’s Throw Away” (2003). The film received several awards, among them the prestigious Norwegian Academy Award Amanda. In 2004, Halvorsen moved to the United States. Concerned with human and civil rights, and possessing a personal interest in the Middle East, she found an intriguing combination of these two fields of interest when she learned the story of Sami Al-Arian and his family, which resulted in the documentary film “USA vs Al-Arian”, ( Best Documentary at Nordic Panorama 2007, Audience award at Tromsø Int. Film Festival, Best film at The Norwegian Documentary Film Festival, nominated to two Amanda Awards, Best Film at New Orleans Human Rights Film Festival) which had a theatrical release and has been sold to broadcasters in 14 countries worldwide. Halvorsen is currently based in Italy.
MEDIA LINKS
- BBC World Service 10/11/2009
- The Times 24/11/2009
- NRK 01/12/2009
- Aftenposten 02/12/2009
- Rushprint 12/05/2010
PUBLICITY STILLS FOR DOWNLOAD / DELIVERABLES
- http://www.livingwithoutmoney.tv/downloads/pictures/
- http://www.livingwithoutmoney.tv/lwm_deliverables/
We’re building a new website.
Launch later in 2010! |
