Verena Stefan – The Mensch of my Life is me

Verena Stefan writes «Häutungen» («Shedding») in 1975. Her book sells several hundred thousand copies, the author becomes famous, celebrated and is confronted with hostility – even from her own ranks – and soon after retreats to the countryside. Later, she writes other books, among others about her mother and her grandfather. They are always very personal, but it is precisely for this reason that many people are able to follow on from the experiences and thoughts told by Verena Stefan.The film «The ‘Mensch’ of My Life Is Me» tells Verena Stefan’s life with archived interviews and text passages from her works. In addition, we have spoken to longtime companions like Cristina Perincioli in Berlin and Lise Moisan in Montréal.We go back to the time when «Shedding» was published: 1975 was the International Year of Women, but in Germany and Switzerland, a married women needed her husband’s consent to sign a contract, abortion was forbidden.All these developments and experiences are reflected in the present, for example in the Swiss women’s strike in June 2019, and in the growing and passing of nature. Ultimately, the big question is: «How can I lead a self-determined life? »