When The World Stood Still

The core of the film is our unique ability as humans to survive. It portrays four distinct, personal stories, interwoven with glimpses of various lives across Europe. Among the central figures are an unruly brothel owner in Berlin, living on the edge, and a French pharmacist with an anxious husband born in Pol Pot’s death camps. We also follow the compelling journey of an Italian doctor who sacrifices his family life with his wife and young daughter, devoting his time to take care of his patients instead. Paradoxically, he is suddenly arrested, accused of murdering some of these very patients to make room for the others he believed could survive. The ensemble of strong, diverse characters reflects the heightened tensions of a world in crisis, where the boundaries of normal life are pushed to the extreme, exposing both our deepest fears and hidden strengths. Despite these challenges, the film highlights the persistence of joy, creativity, and resilience, as people strive to find new ways of coping and living in a world turned upside down. When The World Stood Still commemorating the fifth anniversary of the global lockdown in March 2020, this film captures a moment in history that will never be forgotten.