A Family Business

In a tiny Danish town, an abandoned grain silo is to become an artistic landmark with an observation tower and international art center, aiming to revitalize the town which is caught in a downward spiral of depopulation and store closures. But not everyone shares the enthusiasm. "The Silo and Us" a warm portrait of the urbane and the provincial, of highbrow and low key, of horn-rimmed glasses and flannel shirts. And everything in between.

When director Carina Randlov’s father retired, it happened without trumpet fanfare. In fact, he was financially screwed and got no goodbyes or thank yous on the way out. Retirement is a huge change in one’s life, identity and self-perception – and these are exactly the three things Randløv sets out to explore. From a warm, anthropological angle, she talks to a large cast of ordinary people about their experience of the transition to a retired life. And if there’s one thing everyone agrees on, it’s that recognition outweighs cold hard cash. And when recognition costs no one anything, why should it really be so hard to pass on?

The Unachievable (2016) 42min | Documentary, Short, Biography | 18 April 2016 (Denmark)