This Life 2: Those Left Behind

When a Danish family is shattered by a loss too large to name, everyday life fractures in ways they never expected. The film follows the Fiil household as grief widens fault lines between mothers, daughters and sisters, shifting responsibilities and loyalties. Small gestures and long silences show how people try to keep ordinary routines going while private pain grows. Faith and stubborn hope thread through their days, giving some the energy to carry on and others reason to push away. The story focuses on how close relationships change under strain, and how ordinary acts of care can become acts of survival without resolving the deeper wounds.

Directed by Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis, the film premiered in 2022. It was created by Regner Grasten and Sune Elskær, and centers on performances from Bodil Jørgensen and a cast portraying the Fiil family.

It did not attract major international award recognition, though the film found some visibility on the festival circuit and within Danish cinema discussions. Any nominations were modest and largely local rather than global.

Among Danish viewers and critics the film prompted conversations about wartime memory and how families cope after trauma. Its intimate scenes and a focus on domestic detail stayed with audiences who follow Scandinavian dramas, and some performances, especially by the lead cast, were singled out in local commentary.

Critics gave mixed to positive reviews, reflected in a modest audience rating. Many noted the film's steady attention to grief, duty and the role of faith in giving people reasons to go on. Viewers who appreciate slow, character-driven drama will likely respond to its tonal restraint and emphasis on the small, human moments that keep a family linked even as it frays.