enda
Film

Just Before Death

Anne Regitze Wivel, Denmark, 2022

70 min.DK/Documentary

Life in the time just before death. Director Anne Regitze Wivel has created a beautiful and life-affirming film about the indomitable staff at Bispebjerg Hospital - and about the last moments of her life with her husband Svend Auken.
14 years ago her husband died after a period of sickness. The couple spent their last time at Bispebjerg Hospital. Now Wivel returns to that same hospital to create an autobiographical and reflective film about life and death - and to portray the people who work in this difficult field. How is it to go to work every day to take care of people whose lives are coming to an end? What thoughts go through their minds? And how do you make the last chapter for someone else a good and joyful time? Doctors and nurses share their thoughts about the philosophical and practical dimension of their jobs when we follow their meetings. Wivel herself keeps a diary about the last moments of the couple’s shared life and returns to her notes with a gracious and life-affirming story where the present and the past mirror each other.
Basic information Credits
Original title Lige før døden
Danish title Lige før døden
Keywords Dying, Hospitals, Health care, Nurses, Illness, Memoires, 2020-2030
Director Anne Regitze Wivel
Screenplay Anne Regitze Wivel
Producer Vibeke Vogel
Director of Photography Ulrik Wivel
Editor Janus Billeskov Jansen, Peter Winther
Sound Rasmus Winther Jensen, Mia Joanna Koskela
Composer Mikkel Lentz
Production country Denmark
International sales Bullitt Film ApS
Online release 27.06.2023, Filmcentralen
Comment Anne Wivel is one of Denmark´s distinct and beloved documentary voices. Her work has been awarded with Prix Italia and Frederick Wiseman Award, among others.
DFI subsidy Konsulentstøtte
Danish rating Not recommended for children under 7
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Companies

Production company Bullitt Film
With support from Det Danske Filminstitut, Danmarks Radio, Louis-Hansen Fonden, Hospicefonden, Kræftens Bekæmpelse, Hoffmann & Husmans Fond, Danske Filminstruktører
In collaboration with Barok Film

Direction

Direction Anne Regitze Wivel
Assistant director Lennart Pasborg

Script

Screenplay Anne Regitze Wivel

Production

Producer Vibeke Vogel
Producer's assistant Clara Bruun Sandbye

Cinematography

Cinematographer Ulrik Wivel

Editing

Editor Janus Billeskov Jansen
Editor Peter Winther

Music

Composer Mikkel Lentz

Sound

Sound designer Rasmus Winther Jensen
Sound engineer Mia Joanna Koskela
B-sound designer Peter Storm Wich

Visual effects

Grading Anders V. Christensen
Graphic design Mia Selin

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