‘What is that you recall from the moment of our father’s death?’ With tears in her eyes, Cordula Decker looks at her sister, who is behind the camera, and says, ‘I never told him that I loved him, neither did he! Neither of us did.’
It is a scene from the German independent film, “ANIMA – My Father’s Dresses (ANIMA: Die KleiderMeinesVaters),” which offers the audience with a profound tale about the intricacies of a family and father-daughter relation.
Written by Uli Decker and Rita Bakacs, the award-winning documentary feature is based on the director Uli Decker’s life.
The story revolves around the revelation of family secrets. It talks poignantly about gender identity and while doing all this it never fails to make the audience teary-eyed. As the audience goes through Uli’s real-life stories, they feel a subtle melancholy.
The movie mostly deals with the gender identity issues. It also narrates what it feels like to grow up as a child in a family, which tried to bury its dark secrets.
Through archival footage, witty and fascinating animation, and up-close interviews, the story is told from Uli’s perspective who wanted to be a pirate or pope while growing up, living in a small town in Bavaria.
When her father dies, Uli’s mother hands over his secret box to her and her sister. The box reveals an unanticipated secret of her father and this strangely helps Uli connect more with her father than ever!
The film explores the complex relations between a couple and their two daughters. Throughout the movie, we see the struggle of each of the family members, who are trying to live and survive with guilt and remorse caused by their unexpressed love for each other.
This heartwarming movie is a glaring reminder to reflect on our surroundings, hold onto our loved ones and accept them as who they are. It is a tribute to the life’s odyssey. And it shows that life becomes meaningful when we can express our affection for our family and loved ones and embrace life with open arms.
Released in 2022 at the Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival, the hybrid documentary followed the collage technique for animations with family photos, revealing various aspects of the inner life of the director and her family.
The movie also presents an appreciable opportunity for the audience to experience the Bavarian lifestyle, culture and the famed Oktoberfest.
After bagging the Best Documentary award at the festival, ‘ANIMA– My father’s dresses’ has added a few more to its crown from various other platforms.
‘ANIMA – My father’s dresses (ANIMA: Die KleidermeinesVaters)’ was screened for the Dhaka audience on July 8th at the Goethe-Institut, located in Panthapath. Film enthusiasts can borrow the blue-ray DVD of the film from the institut’s library, for free of charge.
