USA, 1978

The industrial nations are proud of the constantly increasing life-expectancy of their citizens. However, this civilization does not know what to do with its 65-year-old pensioners, who are condemned to an unproductive life. In a society that idolizes youth and measures the quality of a human being according to his productive output, the old are without value. The Grey Panthers are a political movement that has wide support in North America. They are fighting against the discrimination of old age. “Don’t beg for sympathy,” is their message. “Get down to the reasons for your misery and fight a system that discriminates against people en grounds of gender, race, or age.“ Since the senior citizens no longer stand in fear of being fired or of other such reprisals, the police would hardly dare to manhandle them, they can afford to voice radical criticism and engage in rather spectacular demonstrations.

a film by Gordian Troeller and Marie-Claude Deffarge
original title: Die Grauen Panther – Aufstand der Alten
camera: Gordian Troeller
sound: Marie-Claude Deffarge, Uwe Gesing
editor: Ingeburg Forth
colour
43 minutes

This film only exists in the German version.

Download the script