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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
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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

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    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

    8alice_ok_

    Wish it was more in depth

    Very important documentary. Would have been great with added interviews with the Swedish migration center and politicians. It felt so hopeless seeing those children and feeling like yes this documentary informed us about this but what if it could have actually made a difference politically?
    GoalDigs

    Heartbreaking

    An absolute riveting watch. My heart broke for those families.
    5toboer

    Fascinating subject matter

    Resignation Syndrome is a fascinating condition and the families' stories are very sad. However, I feel this beautifully filmed documentary offers little beyond an introduction. Frustratingly we're never told which countries these refugee families came from, and the film doesn't examine the syndrome from a scientific angle.
    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.
    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.

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    Storyline

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      Featured in The Oscars (2020)

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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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