In the headstand to happiness - DVD

Content: Life is becoming increasingly hectic, stress determines the everyday working life of many people and burnout is now almost the fashionable disease of this generation. Since it is no wonder that more and more people are looking for ways to escape the everyday stress and to tank strength for the burdens of the job. This is also the case with the four protagonists in the documentary Im Kopfstand zum Glück, who all pursue the goal of becoming yoga teachers. Irene Graef's film follows the four as they train and go about their daily lives, revealing what led these people to take up yoga and what they hope to gain for their lives from a more intensive approach to yoga.

Journalist Till, for example, sought in yoga a way to do something about work-related posture problems and also found a whole new outlook on life. Now he can see many problems more easily and approach them more thoughtfully. Theatre and radio playwright Deborah also finds moments of happiness in the exercises that yoga teacher Patricia Thielemann teaches her, moments that she has missed far too often in her life so far. Dedicated German teacher Nikolas has found his purpose in yoga and wants to spend as much time as possible teaching others the methods he has learned. And finally, flutist Alina is looking for ways to combine her two passions, music and yoga.

Even if you don't know what the looking up dog is or what Warrior 2 looks like, even if for you some of the emotional outbursts after the exercises might seem a bit alienating, this documentary is highly recommended even for non-practitioners or absolute yoga laymen. For Irene Graf creates an image with which people living in big cities in particular can identify. It is the image of completely normal people who long for a fulfilment that they do not find in their job, or who are looking for a balance to their stressful everyday life and do not want to be consumed by their worries and work. The fact that it's made clear that this can be yoga, but doesn't necessarily have to be, ensures that as a viewer you don't feel like you're watching a straight commercial here.

More to the point, Im Kopfstand zum Glück is an entertaining everyday portrait of four people that is at times funny, at times moving, at times relatable, and at other times a bit alienating. The bottom line is that for viewers who are generally interested in documentaries and of course for all yoga enthusiasts this is extremely entertaining and therefore: absolutely recommendable! And who knows, maybe you too will find a way to bring a little more ease into your everyday life through the film.

Picture + Sound: Technically, the DVD corresponds exactly to what may be expected from a documentary. The picture is clean and pleasantly sharp at most moments. The dialogue, the heart of the film, comes across well and is accompanied by a decent soundtrack here and there. Good.

Extras: As a bonus, in addition to the trailer for the film, there are two interviews with a total running time of just under 20 minutes, where the viewer can learn more about the making of the film and the background. Good.

Conclusion: In the headstand to happiness is an entertaining documentary, which is interesting even for those viewers who can do little with yoga. The DVD is technically on a good level and the bonus material complements the main film well. Therefore, if you want to take some time out, you should give yoga a try - or just watch this film. Worth seeing

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp