The human lifespan is no longer limited to 70 or 80 years. Genetic research in the last hundred years has increased life expectancy from 40 to 80. Is death simply an avoidable error of nature? If someone discovered an elixir that could stop the aging process, he would have considerable power, it could have disastrous consequences for mankind. Such an elixir in the hands of an unscrupulous pharmaceutical company or the military could have disastrous consequences for all of mankind.  "I want to live" is based on a short story by the American writer Kate Wilhelm. With "I want to live", Wolf Gremm has taken Kate Wilhelm's story one step further.
The "family"- a small group of people, who have become immortal through the elixir , fight a bitter battle against all those who have come too close to copying the elixir. Professor Friedländer has come close to halting the ageing process in mice. His research is funded by the military. Lyle, a member of the “family”, has been assigned to do everything necessary to stop his progress – even if that means killing him.