What ‘We Live in Time’ tells us about cancer, grief, and loss
(may contain spoilers)
When good health is on our side, time seems to sprawl out in front of us like a vast expanse. We are allowed to dream, embrace life’s up and downs, look to better times and long for the future. When illness creeps in – or suddenly demands our attention – time is no longer guaranteed, for both us and our loved ones.
We Live in Time follows the story of Almut and Tobias, who find their lives thrown into obscurity when Almut is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The couple have hopes and dreams, both personally and together, that now they must navigate through a lens of uncertainty and anxiety.
Although unimaginable for many of us, Almut must consider what she wants the rest of her life to look like, having previously assumed she had all the time in the world. Cancer takes away from us that assurance of a future, and of a chance to become who we are meant to be. Decisions that once seemed distant, now require immediate action. For Almut and Tobias, one of which meant deciding if they wanted children while Almut is still well and able.
Throughout the film, Almut struggles with the idea of her legacy, and fears her memory being forgotten. Brave in this portrayal, We Live in Time tackles head on the very raw emotions of facing death, and the effect this has on all characters. It shows that this does not always look like tears and sadness, but actually, living fearlessly with the knowledge that good health is a privilege and not always guaranteed.
While striving for achievements to prove she lived well, Almut discovers that ultimately this is not how our loved ones are remembered. Their memory lives on in the small moments, the music they loved, the sayings they embrace or the way they crack an egg (always on a flat surface). It’s the impact you have on those people in your corner – the ones on your team cheering you on – that are truly the memories that live on.
For those of us who have lost a loved on to illness, we know how heartbreaking it can be to watch them slowly slip away, losing sight of their ambitions and hope for the future. It can be isolating and extremely lonely. But We Live in Time offers solace in the way it inspires meaningful conversations about love, loss and resilience. The reality of Almut’s situation is not swept under the rug, nor is it dramatised. The characters, in all their own ways, keep on living – because that is the reality of a cancer diagnosis. Time is the ultimate unknown, but it forces us to keep going.
We Live in Time opens communications about these experiences. It makes it okay to feel worried, to feel fearful but also to realise our own blessings and embrace them. For many, it may be a chance to open up to a friend about their own experiences, or feelings around cancer and grief – don’t be scared by this. As Almut and Tobias experienced, we don’t all get the time we deserve, so giving people in our life the chance to feel seen and heard is one of the most powerful things you can do.
For a film that deals with the fragility of life, We Live in Time is full of love, spirit, hope and joy – because ultimately, whatever time we all have left, it's these moments that make life meaningful.
