Torn between two worlds: Maria regularly leaves her home in Romania to work as a 24-hour caregiver in Austria. Her sons grow up in Ibănești while she cares for a woman in need of nursing care in Vienna. Every goodbye is difficult, every return is marked by joy, but also by the certainty that she will soon have to leave again.
MÂINE MĂ DUC – TOMORROW I LEAVE by Lukas Schöffel and Maria Lisa Pichler is an intimate documentary about the reality of life for many Eastern European caregivers who balance work migration and family. The camera accompanies Maria on her travels, shows her everyday life in both countries, and lets viewers feel what it's like to be constantly caught between responsibility and homesickness. The quiet, observational staging provides insights into a life that often remains hidden.
The film premiered at Diagonale 2024 and was subsequently shown at Ethnocineca 2024 in Vienna and at the Duisburg Film Week. At Diagonale 25, MÂINE MÂ DUC was awarded the Franz Grabner Prize. With its empathetic narrative style and sober but deeply moving imagery, it has received much recognition for its sensitive portrayal of a pressing social issue.
