{{short description|2019 Swedish-American documentary film}} {{Infobox film | name = Life Overtakes Me | image = Life Overtakes Me (2019) Film Poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Film poster | director = {{plainlist| * Kristine Samuelson * John Haptas }} | producer = | writer = | starring = | narrator = | music = | cinematography = | editing = | studio = | distributor = Netflix | released = {{Film date|2019|04|07|Full Frame Film Festival|ref1=<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fullframefest.org/film/life-overtakes-me/|title = Life Overtakes Me}}</ref>|2019|6|14}} | runtime = 39 minutes | country = Sweden, United States | language = English | budget = | gross = }}
'''''Life Overtakes Me''''' ({{langx|sv|De apatiska barnen}}; English: '''''The Apathetic Children''''') is a 2019 Swedish-American documentary film directed by Kristine Samuelson and John Haptas. The film shows how hundreds of refugee children in Sweden withdraw into a coma-like illness called resignation syndrome, apparently because of traumatic experiences they had.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/netflix-life-overtakes-me-review/|title='Life Overtakes Me' explores the mysterious illness afflicting refugee children|date=July 9, 2019|website=The Daily Dot}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://readysteadycut.com/2019/06/12/review-life-overtakes-me-netflix-documentary/|title=Life Overtakes Me Review: No Child Deserves This|date=July 9, 2019|website=Ready Steady Cut}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thereviewgeek.com/lifeovertakesme-filmreview/life-overtakes-me/|title=life overtakes me|date=July 9, 2019|website=The Review Geek}}</ref>
The film was released on Netflix on June 14, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://decider.com/2019/06/20/life-overtakes-me-on-netflix-stream-it-or-skip-it/|title=Stream It Or Skip It: 'Life Overtakes Me' On Netflix, A Documentary About Refugee Children Who Shut Down When Faced With Deportation|date=July 9, 2019|website=Decider}}</ref> {{RT data|as of|y|m}}, {{RT data|score}} of the {{RT data|count|spell=y}} critical reviews compiled on Rotten Tomatoes are positive, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_overtakes_me|title=Life Overtakes Me|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}</ref>
The film was nominated for an Oscar for best short-subject documentary, for the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://oscar.go.com/nominees/documentary-short/documentary-short-life-overtakes-me|title=Life Overtakes Me: Documentary (Short Subject)|work=Oscars|access-date=August 6, 2020}}</ref>
==Controversy== According to witnesses cited by the Swedish magazine ''Filter'', one of the children profiled in the film was pressured by her parents to simulate resignation syndrome for the express purpose of improving the family's prospects for permanent residence status in Sweden. The witnesses insisted that the girl had been a well-functioning, normal child who was coached into faking her illness when doctors and officials were present.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://magasinetfilter.se/granskning/det-ar-som-en-instruktionsfilm-for-att-gora-barn-illa/|title="Det är som en instruktionsfilm för att göra barn illa"|date=2020-02-05|website=Magasinet Filter|language=sv-SE|access-date=2020-02-05}}</ref>
Sweden's public television network, SVT, interviewed Swedish pediatrician Karl Sallin, who said that the filmmakers had cherry-picked phrases from interviews with him in a "reckless and dangerous" fashion, distorting his view of the situation. SVT sought the producers repeatedly for comment, who chose not to respond.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/nya-uppgifter-om-de-apatiska-barnen-prisad-dokumentar-malas-ut-som-bluff|title=Oscarsnominerad dokumentär om apatiska barn målas ut som bluff|last1=Rudolfsson|first1=Philip|date=2020-02-05|work=SVT Nyheter|access-date=2020-02-05|last2=Salihu|first2=Diamant|language=sv}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Netflix title}} * {{IMDb title|9204606}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes|life_overtakes_me}}
Category:2019 short documentary films Category:2019 films Category:Netflix original documentary films Category:Swedish-language films Category:Refugees in Sweden Category:Documentary films about child refugees Category:Documentary films about children Category:Documentary films about health care Category:2019 English-language films Category:English-language short documentary films
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