In a portrait of his New York relatives, one of them a Holocaust survivor and the other her daughter, filmmaker Marco Niemeijer gradually unfolds the harrowing, smothering effects of the war trauma across generations.

Little Angels

In the past, the now 82-year-old Leo happily traveled with his wife Riet to faraway lands. But since the first signs of Alzheimer’s, the father-in-law of filmmaker Marco Niemeijer prefers his own backyard above anywhere else. There, surrounded by his beloved trees and plants, Leo tries to keep hold of his increasingly confusing existence. Over the course of a year, Niemeijer films Leo every month, from season to season. Whether rain or shine, Leo can always be found in his trouble-free refuge. At first his words and actions are coherent, but as time passes, these become increasingly illogical. Leo begins to wander more aimlessly, playing with a thought and then losing it. Various mantras help him deal with his situation, such as "What I’m not looking for, I will not miss." The intimate yard scenes alternate with old home videos made by Leo during his wanderlust years.

Garden of Life

What is it like to grow up autistic and non-speaking? Unable to speak school turned into a nightmare. This is the story of how Jordyn managed to turn her life around.