Faithful unto Death

Description

Documentarian Ivars Zviedris started filming “Faithful unto Death” after meeting an extraordinary woman who carried a surgeon’s tool, a Kocher, within her abdomen for 27 years. In her youth, she underwent an appendectomy, and the surgeon forgot the instrument inside abdomen. However, as often occurs in observational documentary cinema, this served merely as a starting point for the film. As filming progressed, it became apparent that the central narrative revolved around the resilience of many pensioners in the province, who survive by forming cooperative living arrangements, sharing a single household. These arrangements, born out of financial necessity, highlight the struggles of individuals whose relationships have withered over time, yet who must endure living together due to economic constraints. Pooling their pensions becomes essential for covering basic living expenses such as food, heating, and utilities. At the heart of this story is Mara, a woman who has had several husbands. One tragically deceased, the other died otherwise. Her last companion, Ivars, whom she never officially married, became her partner for 24 years. Though their relationship had long lost its spark, they remained bound together by the need to survive.