Amma & Appa (2014)

This story is about the first meeting of Jay, an Indian and Franziska, a German's parents. They are about the same age and both couples have been married for over 30 years. However they are from two very different cultures – but through their children’s love, their lives are about to connect these two families in a rather astonishing way. Their children have not only fallen in love but also want to get married. After two years of living a long-distance relationship, Franziska and Jay have managed to have their mothers and fathers agree on meeting each other. The journey begins in the south of Germany, in Bavaria, where Franziska’s parents make the decision to travel to Tamil Nadu. Jay takes his future in-laws back to his hometown, a typical but small town in the South of India, 170 km away from the city of Chennai. For the German parents, this visit is their very first time in India and for the Indian couple this visit will be their first time ever to meet foreigners. While Jay’s parents’ marriage was arranged and held very traditionally in India, Franziska’s parents married out of love. Understandably having a son want to marry out of love was a huge shock for Jay’s parents. Especially to a white girl from Germany. Jay’s decision made them not only question their own traditions but also their beliefs. Against this background, the film unfolds its story. It is a confrontation of love with cultural boundaries and in some way a search for the roots that define or make love and relationships work. Through observing and researching their parents’ relationships and lives, Franziska and Jay want to build their own relationship and learn from their encounters and mistakes. What is the secret of a successful partnership? How can a couple live together happily for so many years? And what impact does their wisdom have on us, their children?