THE PRICE OF MY LIFE
Questioning the value of one’s own life. A journey to the world of people who calculate the monetary value of other people’s lives.
Human life is priceless, as they say, and yet large numbers of experts around the world maintain that they can precisely calculate the monetary value of a human life. They juggle numbers in the name of their countries’ governments, for insurance companies, health agencies, the military, and/or their own profit..."What am I worth?" is the question that filmmaker Peter Scharf asks himself as he reaches mid-life, and he sets out to find these various calculators of human life. The result is an absurdly comical and enlighteningly unsettling trip that takes him through six different countries and examines the most bizarre and bold calculation methods. It is a study of the self-confident masters of valuating human life and a road movie full of touching encounters with people who have been calculated right down to the last dollar and cent.
Length 90’ / 52’ HD
Film by Peter Scharf
Production Bildersturm Filmproduktion for ZDF/3sat, ZDFinfo, WDR with the support of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, BKM, DFFF, 2014
Original Title Was bin ich wert?
Year 2014
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Questioning the value of one’s own life. A journey to the world of people who calculate the monetary value of other people’s lives.
Human life is priceless, as they say, and yet large numbers of experts around the world maintain that they can precisely calculate the monetary value of a human life. They juggle numbers in the name of their countries’ governments, for insurance companies, health agencies, the military, and/or their own profit…”What am I worth?” is the question that filmmaker Peter Scharf asks himself as he reaches mid-life, and he sets out to find these various calculators of human life. The result is an absurdly comical and enlighteningly unsettling trip that takes him through six different countries and examines the most bizarre and bold calculation methods. It is a study of the self-confident masters of valuating human life and a road movie full of touching encounters with people who have been calculated right down to the last dollar and cent.
Feature Documentary
Length 52’/90’
Film by Peter Scharf
Production Bildersturm Filmproduktion for ZDF/3sat, ZDFinfo, WDR with the support of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, BKM, DFFF, 2014
Original title Was bin ich wert?