Bathing Micky

NEW DOCS

This lovely and lovingly shot short film profiles a soulful and philosophically inclined Danish centenarian named Micky over the course of a year as she takes her daily swim in the ocean and reminisces about her long life, particularly her marriage to a Jewish man during World War II and the politically fraught Nazi occupation of Denmark. Concentrating on her bathing ritual and her thoughtful voiceover, the film sounds a pitch-perfect note in its depiction of one woman’s extraordinary everydayness and identity as articulated by her relationships to the roiling, gray sea, the changing seasons, her sexuality, her adoring family, and her impending mortality. The unflinching portrayal of Micky’s graceful physicality is an uncommonly tender and respectful ode to the aging female body, a moving tribute to abiding romantic love and the character and wisdom of a remarkable and resilient woman.  BG

Director

Frida Kempff

Producer

Erik Andersson

Editor

Erik Andersson

Cinematographer

Camilla Skagerström

Original Title

Micky Bader

Release Year

2010

Festival Year

2011

Country

Denmark, Sweden

Run Time

14 minutes