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Life Overtakes Me

  • 2019
  • TV-PG
  • 39m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
Henry Ascher in Life Overtakes Me (2019)
Hundreds of refugee children in Sweden, who have fled with their families from extreme trauma, have become afflicted with 'uppgivenhetssyndrom,' or Resignation Syndrome. Facing deportation, they withdraw from the world into a coma-like state, as if frozen, for months, or even years.
Play trailer1:37
1 Video
12 Photos
DocumentaryShort

In the grip of trauma, hundreds of refugee children in Sweden withdraw from life's uncertainties into a coma-like illness called Resignation Syndrome.In the grip of trauma, hundreds of refugee children in Sweden withdraw from life's uncertainties into a coma-like illness called Resignation Syndrome.In the grip of trauma, hundreds of refugee children in Sweden withdraw from life's uncertainties into a coma-like illness called Resignation Syndrome.

  • Directors
    • John Haptas
    • Kristine Samuelson
  • Stars
    • Henry Ascher
    • Nadja Hatem
    • Mikael Billing
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    2.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • John Haptas
      • Kristine Samuelson
    • Stars
      • Henry Ascher
      • Nadja Hatem
      • Mikael Billing
    • 20User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Main Trailer
    Trailer 1:37
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    Photos11

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    Top cast7

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    Henry Ascher
    • Self - Pediatrician and Professor, University of Gothenburg
    • (as Henry Ascher MD)
    Nadja Hatem
    • Self - Immigration Attorney
    Mikael Billing
    • Self - Psychologist and Psychotherapist, BUP Asylum Psychiatric Unit
    Karl Sallin
    • Self - Centre for Research Ethics and Bioethics, Uppsala University
    • (as Karl Sallin MD)
    Elizabeth Hultcrantz
    • Self - Professor Emerita, Linköping University
    • (as Elizabeth Hultcrantz MD PhD)
    Gellert Tamas
    • Self - Author and Journalist
    Anne-Liis von Knorring
    • Self - Child Psychologist, Professor Emerita, Uppsala University
    • (as Anne-Liis von Knorring MD)
    • Directors
      • John Haptas
      • Kristine Samuelson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews20

    6.52.2K
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    Featured reviews

    7tremainejleaso

    Stunning piece of work

    This documentary was approached in much different way to which I would've thought they would approach it. There is a lot of visual metaphor in the particular shots they choose, not really giving much context to the backstory of each child. It jumped several places throughout, however I thought that the transitioning between stories and finding connections to move from one child to the next was a nice touch. In a way, it pulls the audience in and at times pushes them out. I'd honestly have to say that I learned more in the white text before and after the actual footage than the footage itself.

    It was not the most informative film although it seemed to be more focused on the pandemic of this syndrome from an emotional perspective, I personally think that a documentaries job is among other things supposed to be informative, the emotional aspect of it should come from the facts mixed with the story which this film didn't really do. I loved the film, however there are some blank spaces where pieces of vital information and medical reliability through interviews with specialists are missing.
    6nanakitsch

    Expected much more

    A few years ago I read a lot about resignation syndrome and found it so interesting. But today, when I watched this documentary, I felt it has no depth. If you found the topic interesting, google to know more.
    9christophermoverton

    Excellent

    This documentary is about a rare dissociative disorder related to traumatic stress in children. Cases have been noted in other instances outside of Sweden, but it is rare. Many of those affected share common backgrounds.
    6borgolarici

    Interesting but bad executed

    While the issue is tragic and potentially extremely interesting, the documentary is quite lame. Basically almost its 40 minutes is silent footage of sleeping children and the backstory of the families is badly explained, the interviewer imho didn't do a very good job. The medical side of the question is left unexplored, just as the cultural one.
    5alansabljakovic-39044

    40 minutes and they accomplished nothing

    It was one sided story all the time. I would love to hear stuff from professional doctors and how are they working to solve/cure this illness. Also, we could get more insight on government's side of the whole deportation story.

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • June 14, 2019 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Sweden
      • United States
    • Official site
      • official site
    • Languages
      • Swedish
      • Ukrainian
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Жизнь захватывает меня
    • Filming locations
      • Sweden
    • Production company
      • Stylo Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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