slowly coming closer

slowly coming closer is a meditation on how we deal with death. In a society that seeks to delay or even prevent death through medical technology, Maria Arlamovsky instead turns her attention to situations that others tend to look away from: palliative care and the places where life comes to an end.

In seven thoughtful chapters, the film documents how care workers and doctors in the palliative care unit of Vienna General Hospital and outpatient hospice care accompany patients on their final journey. Relatives and impending farewells are present in the dialogues, yet the film primarily explores the relationship between those confronting death and the specialized personnel, where the tension between professional care and emotional closeness is palpable.

slowly coming closer offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by those who work with death on a daily basis. At the same time, it demonstrates how providing this accompanying support can be an enriching experience: when faced with the dying of others, we also confront our own attitude towards life and our own mortality. Death appears here not as a sudden rupture, but as a gradual transition.

In her profound exploration of this passage, Arlamovsky captures the sounds of the hospital, the discussions, and the training of those entering palliative medicine and hospice care. The film poses a burning ethical, medical, and existential question: When does caring mean letting others go?

slowly coming closer is a lingering cinematic experience that allows for pauses, gaps, and silences to address this inevitable part of life. And even when the end is near, there is still something to smile about. (Johanna Thorell)