Monika

A quiet, observant portrait of a young woman's duty and dreams, moving at the patient rhythm of everyday life.

Directed by

Richard Cohn-Vossen

Genres

Documentary

Overview

A documentary about Monika Töpper, a young woman in Gebersdorf, Thuringia, who has cared for her two brothers and elderly father since her mother’s death in 1970. Trained as a porcelain maker instead of the nanny she once dreamed of becoming, she channels her creative spirit into her craft yet yearns for a “big” life beyond her village. Noticing her leadership, the factory’s Party secretary recruits her as an FDJ candidate; she wins a seat on the district Health and Social Welfare Commission. There, Monika champions the needs of a local nursing home, fulfilling one of the great tasks she once only imagined. Torn between duty to her family, her budding political role, and her boyfriend’s ambitions, she realizes that to pursue true fulfillment she must eventually leave Gebersdorf—yet for now remains its devoted daughter.

How it feels

Measured and needs your attention.

About

Family, work, ambition, identity

Content

No violence, gore, sexual content or swearing.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer (opens in a new tab)