A documentary by Susanne and Peter Scheiner, 2011-2025 Duration: 6.5 minutes, language: German (subtitles: English)
Content
After death, a person loses control over their estate or legacy—unless they have made clear arrangements during their lifetime. Most people think of an estate as physical belongings passed on to family and friends. But what is often overlooked is that a person may also wish to leave behind thoughts, values, and personal messages. And this begins with the funeral.
Whoever speaks in an obituary tries to interpret and summarize a life. Yet memories can be shaped, softened, or even distorted. Remembrance is not always neutral—it can be influenced, intentionally or not.
The film Die Macherin explores this delicate question of how we want to be remembered. It tells the story of two people who decide not to leave this entirely in the hands of others. For them, a legacy is not just about material possessions, but about attitude, voice, music, and meaning.
Through spontaneous and intimate film sequences, we meet the married couple Margrit and Theo Junker. Margrit carefully prepares her own farewell. She connects important moments of her life with specific pieces of music she loves. Whoever conducts the funeral—whether a priest or even her own daughter—will be asked to respect her wishes.
Margrit calls herself “a doer.” And she truly is one. She wants to make sure that her music will be played. Theo Junker, now 98 years old, is a deeply creative spirit. His paintings and his rhymed texts are also part of the film. But no more shall be revealed.
There is an ironic twist: the couple may outlive the CD players on which they stored their musical legacy. The film was originally shot in 2011 and updated in 2025. If their descendants one day wish to fulfill their request, they may have to search for the right playback device on eBay.
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