Ein ganzes Leben

A Whole Life

At the turn of the 20th century, the young orphan Andreas is sent to live with his ruthless uncle on a farm in a remote valley. Treated not as family but as a worker, Andreas endures a childhood without affection, full of brutality and hard labour. At the age of 18, Andreas has seen only hardship but finds the courage to leave his oppressor. Though partly crippled by his uncle, he has grown into a strong man and finds work as a woodsman. He works on the construction of an invention: the mountain ropeway, which marks the beginning of alpine tourism but is paid for with many lives. Andreas is now able to buy himself a small cabin in the mountains and finds love for the first time. Marie is the light of his life, but his dreams are shattered and Andreas enlists as a soldier in the German Wehrmacht on the Russian frontline with little hope left. He only thinks of Marie. When he returns returns from the madness of to his valley, the world has changed. Despite all his hardships and Marie always in his heart, Andreas accepts and cherishes the time that is left for him with humility.

Based on the world bestseller by Robert Seethaler, published in more than 40 languages.

Source: German Films Service & Marketing GmbH