100 years old – documentary shows what really matters

In the photo above: Friedel Zimmermann (106) has the gift of going through life positively and cheerfully.

More and more people are reaching the age of 100 and beyond. But what does it really mean to live a whole century?

Filmmaker Yves Schurzmann explores this question in his new 37°-Reportage "100 Years of Life: What Really Matters"

For the film, he met two extraordinary people: Helmut Luft, 101 years old, and Friedel Zimmermann, 106 years old.

Two lives, one message

In intense conversations, they talk about love and courage, humor and friendship – and about the attitude that carries them into old age.

The film will be available on the ZDF streaming portal from Tuesday, April 14, 2026, and will be shown on ZDF at 22:15 pm.

Helmut Luft and Friedel Zimmermann have experienced war, loss, and new beginnings. Their personal memories are also a living history.

Both provide answers to a question that concerns many people: How can one live a long life – and what is truly important in the end?

Helmut Luft, 101: “The second half of life is by far the better one”

Helmut Luft's view of aging is surprisingly positive. The psychoanalyst is a passionate golfer and still writes books.

He sums up his formula for a fulfilling life in four words: Running, Learning, Laughing and Loving – his so-called “four Ls”.

As a young man, he experienced the war and lost friends. Nine years ago, his wife died. "She was a wonderful woman; I wanted to die with her for a year," he says openly.

His lesson from a century full of highs and lows: think for yourself, remain human, develop a stance.

Friedel Zimmermann, 106: Choosing the smiling side of life

Friedel Zimmermann's life was marked by hardship. She raised her two sons alone, experienced flight and hunger. She never saw her husband, a soldier who was drafted two weeks after their wedding, again after the war.

But Zimmermann refused to be broken. Later, she fulfilled a dream: she worked aboard a sailing ship and traveled the world – all the way to Alaska. Curiosity and a yearning for freedom accompanied her throughout her life.

Today, at 106 years old, she lives in a retirement home. She finds it particularly difficult to adapt to fixed daily routines and to accept help. And yet, she maintains her dignity and independence – with a firm conviction.

She says: "You can get into the habit of always being unhappy in life... I chose the smiling side. I think that's better."

ZDF documentary “100 Years of Life”

The 37° documentary “100 Years of Life: What Really Counts” by Yves Schurzmann will be shown on ZDF from April 14, 2026:

◉ Streaming: from April 14, 2026, 5:00 a.m., on the ZDF streaming portal.
◉ TV broadcast: April 14, 2026, 22:15 PM, on ZDF.

Sierks Media / PR Agent / © Photo: ZDF, Karsten Thormaehlen