The Way You Shine

The film accompanies four young people through their everyday lives. Four people who are full of life and have clear goals – finding work, becoming politically active, getting married, having children. Four people for whom achieving these goals is associated with many obstacles and who are often pigeonholed by society: People with Down syndrome.

There is the couple Raphael and Johanna. Both are part of the dance group “I’m OK.”, Raphael works as a waiter. Someday they want to get married and have children. But there are external hurdles in the way of family planning. 

Andrea is an opera fan and has been looking for a permanent job as a geriatric nurse for a long time, but so far it hasn’t worked out beyond internships. She presents her experiences with lots of humor at lectures all over Germany.  

And Magdalena writes poetry and is politically active. She likes to be the center of attention: “My parents say I’m a diva, a rambunctious one."”

The director accompanies them all through their everyday lives with her camera – cooking, shopping, cleaning their apartments, styling their hair, working, going on trips, and dancing. Instead of recognition, however, the four often receive pitying looks and consternation. Their most ardent wish is to be included, to be seen as independent people – with rights and, above all, with opportunities to realize themselves. And they show that they can do this, they are full of energy and uniqueness.