“Free spirits”

Free spirits – Manifesto for a different kind of support

Les Esprits libres (Free Spirits) is the third part of a trilogy on caring for Alzheimer's patients, produced in 2025 with the same team of caregivers.

"A question arose: what would a place where we would like to grow old or see our parents or grandparents grow old look like? Very quickly, we imagined an open, intergenerational place, and above all, one without white coats.

We also wanted a creative environment that could bring people together around a common project. That's when we thought of theater. It may seem simple: an open house, caregivers without white coats, dances every night, meals that we prepare and share together, children playing... All of this resembles "ordinary life," and yet it is very far from the way most nursing homes are organized today.

The film tells the story of an experience that should be commonplace but which, in the current context of healthcare in France, is truly "extraordinary." It can be interpreted on several levels. It can be viewed as a story, a tale, featuring surprising, funny, and moving characters who embark on a crazy adventure. But it can also be interpreted as a proposal for a profound transformation of the current system of care for people with Alzheimer's disease. The film aims to convey a political message that can be summarized as follows: a different kind of care is possible.

Bertrand Hagenmüller, director.

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