Chocolate for Nina
A documentary film by Frank Matter, Switzerland 2011
More and more people live at home up until old age. They only move into nursing homes when there is really no other way. In their own house, they feel more confortable and more independent than in an institution. They still decide themselves on how to spend their days, and they live in familiar surroundings. However, some old people pay a high price for keeping their autonomy: isolation, boredom, neglect are just a few keywords. For these old folks, the employees of the Spitex home care service are often the last bridge to the outside world.
The Spitex «looks after» old people on behalf of society. But whereas the eldery are at the mercy of their carers in a profoundly extstential way, it is «only» a job for the nurses. A job that they have to keep their chin up about, if they don't want to get in distress themselves.
The tightrope walk between professional behavior and human feelings is anything but simple. The Spitex employees have to constantly deal with contradicting interests such as the demands of clients, professional ideals, the necessity of self-preservation, as well as external requirements such as cost pressure, regulations and bureaucratic procedures. Often, the interests of the individual are in conflict with those of the wider public who pays for the Spitex services.
The documentary «Chocolate for Nina» is observing what happens when the lives and interests of old people and their carers collide. The film looks at a world that is usually hidden behind proper facades. The film's gripping and touching stories tell us something about our times and our country: not just about how we become old and die, but also how we live – in a society, in which more and more aspects of human relationships are being professionalized and almost every human interaction is becoming a paid service.
The project was developed with grants from the Société Suisse des Auteurs and the Joint Audiovision and Multimedia commission of the Cantons of Basel and Baselland.
«Chocolate for Nina» is based on an idea by Peter Aschwanden, who was also bound to direct the film. While finishing the development of the project, the Swiss filmmaker died unexpectedly at the age of 61.
Production: soap factory GmbH Basel
Director: Frank Matter
Written by Peter Aschwanden & Frank Matter
Director: Frank Matter
Written by Peter Aschwanden & Frank Matter