The Haendel Variations

What remains at the end of one’s life which has been dedicated to music? When the epochs of one’s own virtuoso violin music belong to the past? When one’s own fingers no longer make it possible to play the beloved instrument? The film, shot between the years of 2009 and 2017, accompanies the artist Ida Haendel during a phase of life which is often avoided in many biographies: namely, old age. The time when the last curtain falls and everyday life takes over, oscillating between nostalgia and zest for life, between loneliness, desire and hope. With humor, wisdom and her ever so vibrant personality, Ida Haendel faces the challenge of mastering her own old age. If she can’t play the violin anymore, she can still sing.

Source: 52. Internationale Hofer Filmtage 2018