This Life 2: Those Left Behind (2022) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

Imprisonment, family grief, and mutual solidarity shape the prisoners' uncertain journey toward a brief, fragile hope.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

Searching for the Lost

Bitten searches for the graves of executed family members and receives no clear answer. She grieves over her imprisoned daughters and promises to bring them home.

Key Events

• Search for the Executed — Bitten searches for eight newly dug graves after learning her family members were executed. Characters: Bitten Fiil Location: Cemetery
• No Grave Location — A cemetery worker cannot tell Bitten where executed prisoners are buried. Characters: Bitten Fiil Location: Cemetery
• Promise to Bring Them Home — Bitten grieves for her imprisoned daughters and promises to bring them home. Characters: Bitten Fiil, Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil Location: Unspecified

Sentenced and Separated

Tulle and Gerda learn that their sentences have been changed to death, while Gerda tries to sustain Tulle's hope. Their transfers bring them into the German prison system.

Key Events

• Death Sentences — The sisters' sentences are changed to death. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil Location: Prison
• Gerda Offers Comfort — Gerda asks Tulle to hold on to happy thoughts and imagine a journey abroad. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil Location: Prison
• Transfer to Germany — Tulle and Gerda arrive in Germany with Gro after transfers between prisons. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil, Gro Solberg Location: Transport to Germany

Uncertain Prisoners

The sisters endure harsh prison conditions and are identified as NN prisoners, leaving their fate uncertain. A claim of pardon does not resolve their separation or Tulle's whereabouts.

Key Events

• Harsh Prison Conditions — The women endure crowded cells, hunger, thirst, air raids, and threats of violence. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil, Gro Solberg Location: German prison
• NN Prisoner Revelation — A visitor discovers the sisters are held as NN prisoners facing transfer or execution. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil Location: Prison
• Tulle's Whereabouts Uncertain — A guard claims the young Danish prisoner was pardoned, but the sisters remain separated. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil Location: Prison

Solidarity on the Transport

Tulle reunites with Pie, Monica, and Grethe, and the women share scarce supplies and encouragement. News of a rescue operation reaches them, but the guards dismiss it.

Key Events

• Prisoners Reunited on Transport — Tulle reunites with Pie, Monica, and Grethe, who have survived years of imprisonment. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Pie Baastrup Thomsen, Monica Emily Wichfeld, Grethe Jensen Location: Transport
• Shared Scarce Supplies — The women share what little they have and encourage one another. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Pie Baastrup Thomsen, Monica Emily Wichfeld, Grethe Jensen Location: Prison transport
• Rescue News Dismissed — News of a rescue operation organized from Denmark and Sweden reaches the prisoners, but guards dismiss it. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil, Gro Solberg, Monica Emily Wichfeld, Pie Baastrup Thomsen, Grethe Jensen Location: Prison

The Uncertain Journey

The prisoners are forced into wagons as enemy forces approach and encounter exhausted women from Auschwitz. Monica helps them, and Pie offers Tulle a brief moment of reassurance while the group's fate remains unknown.

Key Events

• Forced into Wagons — As enemy forces approach, prisoners are abruptly ordered from their cells and forced into wagons. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Gerda Fiil, Gro Solberg, Monica Emily Wichfeld, Pie Baastrup Thomsen, Grethe Jensen Location: Prison and wagons
• Water for Exhausted Women — The prisoners encounter exhausted women from Auschwitz and plead for water; Monica helps them. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Monica Emily Wichfeld, Pie Baastrup Thomsen, Grethe Jensen Location: Transport route
• A Brief Moment of Hope — Pie tells Tulle she is strong and beautiful as the prisoners' fate remains uncertain. Characters: Tulle Fiil, Pie Baastrup Thomsen, Monica Emily Wichfeld, Grethe Jensen Location: Transport

Story Breakdown

• Bitten's Search — Bitten confronts the loss of family members and the uncertainty surrounding her imprisoned daughters.
  • Cemetery Search — Bitten looks for the graves of executed resistance members but receives no useful information.
  • Promise to Return — Despite her grief, Bitten promises to bring her daughters home.
• Sisters in Prison — Tulle and Gerda face death sentences, separation, and repeated transfers.
  • Death Sentences — Their sentences are changed to death, intensifying the danger they face.
  • Gerda's Comfort — Gerda encourages Tulle to hold on to happy thoughts.
• German Imprisonment — The sisters and other prisoners endure harsh conditions and uncertainty in Germany.
  • Harsh Conditions — Crowded cells, hunger, thirst, air raids, and threats of violence define prison life.
  • NN Status — A visitor discovers that Tulle and Gerda are held as NN prisoners, whose fate may be transfer or execution.
• Separation and Doubt — Conflicting information and separation leave Tulle's whereabouts uncertain.
  • Claim of Pardon — A guard says the young Danish prisoner has been pardoned.
  • Missing Tulle — The sisters remain separated, and those searching do not know where Tulle is.
• Prisoner Reunion — Tulle meets familiar prisoners again and finds support among them.
  • Transport Reunion — Tulle reunites with Pie, Monica, and Grethe on a transport.
  • Shared Encouragement — The women share scarce supplies and encourage one another.
• Rescue Hopes — News of a rescue operation offers hope that the guards immediately reject.
  • News from Home — The prisoners hear of a rescue operation organized from Denmark and Sweden.
  • Guards Deny Hope — The guards dismiss the operation and insist Germany is still winning.
• Wagon Journey — The prisoners are forced from their cells and face further hardship during transport.
  • Forced Evacuation — As enemy forces approach, the prisoners are abruptly ordered into wagons.
  • Aid on the Route — Monica helps exhausted women from Auschwitz despite her failing health.
• Fragile Hope — The film closes on solidarity rather than certainty about the prisoners' immediate fate.
  • Pie's Reassurance — Pie tells Tulle she is strong and beautiful.
  • Uncertain Fate — The prisoners' immediate future remains unresolved.

Directed by

Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis

Key Cast

• Bodil Jørgensen — Gudrun Fiil
• Marie Bach Hansen — Tulle Fiil
• Laura Winther Møller — Gerda Fiil
• Selma Sophia Høst — Bitten Fiil
• Alfrida Uhrenfeldt — Gulle Fiil