Not Without You

When his wife Hermine van Hall asks him if he worked "like a good boy," Ger Lataster responds, "What the hell else would I do?" The arguments abound in this intimate double portrait of the artist couple, filmed by their son and daughter-in-law. They follow the old folks at home from very close by, capturing their physical and mental deterioration with no holds barred. The contrast between an old photo of Hermine nursing her son Peter and her currently senile state is poignant, as are films from then and now in which she and Ger look at his paintings. The film's tempo is in line with the gradual rhythm of old age, which is dominated by daily deeds such as sleeping, washing, eating breakfast, taking pills and misunderstandings regarding afternoon cocktails. Despite all the troubles, the couple feels inextricably linked by a deep, mutual understanding. Because they know that one of them will have to be the first to go, the inevitable absence hangs like an unspoken sadness over everything. After Hermine's death, Ger prepares for a painting of his muse, a sleeping beauty. is an ode to love and the comfort of art.