Programme 4

The Odds of Recovery
Su Friedrich, 2002, 65 min.

Today
Su Friedrich, 2022, 57 min.

Two of Su Friedrich’s most explicitly autobiographical films. 

From a point of desperation, criticism and humour, in The Odds of Recovery the author explores the physical and emotional wear caused by a string of operations and medical issues she suffered throughout her life. Friedrich frankly exposes the scars on her body, her fears, her concerns and her doubts about the medical institutions’ ability to treat certain illnesses properly. 

Filmed over more than 5 years (from 2016 to 2021, thereby during the pandemic), Today, her latest work to date, reveals the author’s daily life, from the most mundane to the most wonderful to the most devastating aspects, such as the loss of her loved ones. Cloaked by a simple, informal appearance, the film drives a lucid and emotive reflection on the passing of time and what it means to grow older. It is also a call to live in the moment, consciously paying full attention, to care for our community and to appreciate the small moments which connect and comfort us.

Gloria Vilches