Yvonne Am See 2021 Better (2024)

The title—"Yvonne at the Lake"—is deliberately deceptive. This is not a vacation film. It is a meditation on what it means to come home when you are no longer the person who left. 2021 was a catastrophic year for cinema. Vaccination campaigns were still rolling out unevenly, theaters faced capacity limits, and major studios delayed blockbusters repeatedly. Yet Yvonne Am See 2021 —produced by Zodiac Pictures on a modest budget of CHF 2.8 million—became a phenomenon. Filming During COVID-19 Principal photography took place from May to July 2021, entirely on location around Lake Lucerne. The pandemic restrictions meant a reduced crew, daily testing, and a tight 26-day shooting schedule. However, the limitations became artistic assets. The sparse crew allowed for intimate, naturalistic performances. The lack of tourists on the lake (international travel was still restricted) gave the film an eerie, timeless quality—as if Yvonne had stepped into a ghost of her own past.

Whether you are a student of cinema, someone touched by Parkinson’s disease, or simply a viewer craving emotional honesty, Yvonne’s journey across the water will linger. As the final shot fades to black, the lake remains. And so does she. yvonne am see 2021

The narrative unfolds over a single autumn week. Yvonne reconnects with her estranged adult daughter, Lena (Lea Drinda), a cynical bartender who has built emotional walls higher than the surrounding Alps. She seeks out her aging father, Markus (Hanspeter Müller-Drossaart), a retired fisherman living with dementia. And, inevitably, she crosses paths with her former lover, Thomas (Stefan Gubser), who never left the village and now runs the local hotel. The title—"Yvonne at the Lake"—is deliberately deceptive

Moreover, it has sparked broader discussions about representation of neurodegenerative illness in cinema. The Swiss Parkinson’s Association used clips from the film in their 2022 awareness campaign. Schwabroh herself became a patron of the charity, noting, "Yvonne taught me that dignity is not about controlling your body, but about accepting your story—tremors and all." 2021 was a catastrophic year for cinema

★★★★½ (4.5/5) Recommended if you like: Nomadland , The Father , Little Miss Sunshine (for its bittersweet family dynamics), or A Man Called Ove . Have you seen Yvonne Am See 2021? Share your thoughts in the comments below. For more deep dives into European cinema, subscribe to our newsletter.

The film carries a Swiss rating of "12+." There is no violence or explicit sexuality, but themes of mortality and parental estrangement may be heavy for younger viewers.