Lily (76) is sure there’s nothing wrong with her. The only reason she lives in a care home is because of her husband Max's illness: a series of strokes has reduced him to a vegetable. The fact that Lily isn’t exactly the way she used to be becomes slowly clear in the Danish drama Key House Mirror - the title refers to a memory test.
It’s not easy for Lily to leave her old habits behind her and fit in with the rules of the home. Her life blossoms when she meets an 80-year-old Swedish neighbour, a charming man who gives her the attention she has long missed. Lily’s daughter, however, is not so happy with the budding romance.
The sensitive Key House Mirror is a surprisingly gentle film from Michael Noer, who directed the hardened prison film R (with Tobias Lindholm, 2010) and the murky seamy-side drama Northwest (2013). His penchant for realism remains, however: he shot part of the film in an existing care home, where many inhabitants play themselves.
Winner KNF Award 2015