Siri Hustvedt has published seven works of fiction, one volume of poetry, and numerous essays, yet most people remember her primarily as the wife of the writer Paul Auster. This film attempts to overcome that perception and present Hustvedt in her own right: a woman distinguished by her broad knowledge, intellectual depth, and a life story marked by self-realization.

She grew up in a rural area of Minnesota. “In my small world, girls were expected to be good girls. I worked for many years to rid myself of that,” she recounts. She later moved to New York City, completed her doctoral studies, and began writing. For 30 years, she lived with Paul Auster in their impressive home in Brooklyn, where she is filmed and interviewed. They were regarded as the celebrated couple of New York’s intellectual circles, and according to the film, they lived with great love and without mutual jealousy. Auster appears in the film and speaks admiringly of his wife, her abilities, and her writing. He passed away last year.

The film arrives at the Epos Festival after its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival 2026.