Nena

Nena

Saskia Diesing

NL / DE
2014
Feature Film
93’
Film Education

Nena is 16 and in love for the first time – with Carlo, the baseball team pitcher with the blue Mohican haircut. Clad in black leather jackets, the two of them tear through the night on Carlo’s moped, revelling in life and their blossoming love for each other.
But the summer of 1989 which holds the whole of Europe in a state of suspense also turns Nena’s life upside down. Her father Martin has been confined to a wheelchair for years, and can barely move any more. There is a strong bond between him and Nena. Their verbal exchanges show just how close they are. »When are you going to stop smoking?« –
»When you start.«
While Nena is having her first experiences of love, her father is contemplating death. This makes Nena angry and sad. But as she confronts life’s most important questions, she starts to understand her father’s desire to die. A failed suicide attempt, however, shows her he’ll never manage it on his own – it’s up to her to take her father’s departure into her own hands and overcome her fear of loss. More than that is just not possible.
Who decides when we’re allowed to leave this world? What level of suffering is necessary? Does suffering even justify this decision? And is it pure egoism to decide freely about one’s own death, or does it help to protect the family? These are the questions this film examines. Abbey Hoes plays the teenager in this difficult situation with a refreshing lightness. A powerful commentary on the controversial subject of assisted suicide.

Director

Saskia Diesing

Script

Saskia Diesing, Esther Gerritsen

Cinematography

Aage Hollander

Music

Paul Eisenach

Cast

Abbey Hoes, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Gijs Blom, Monic Hendrickx, Fabian Jansen, André Jung

Production

Key Film, Hans de Wolf, Hanneke Niens, Coin Film, Herbert Schwering, Christine Kiauk

Saskia Diesing

Saskia Diesing, born 1972 in the Dutch town of Winschoten, completed her film studies at the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Utrecht (HKU) in 1996. She then spent seven years working for the Dutch broadcasting organisation VPRO, most recently as editor in chief of various programmes. She has made a series of short films and written screenplays. She currently teaches script writing and directing at the HKU.


Films by Saskia Diesig (Selection)
Taxi 656 2008 | De laatste Dag 2008 | Nieuwe Schoenen 2004 | Du 2002 | De Tantaluskwelling 1996