In 1941, those who had remained around too long to completely escape the Nazi blitzkrieg had one small, slim chance to escape persecution. They could travel to Marseilles and attempt to get the servile but still nominally independent government of Vichy France to grant them an exit visa. Then they could take passage to safer climes on one of the neutral vessels that stopped there. This drama, based on a novel by Anna Seghers, follows the fates of a small group of desperate people who are attempting to do just that.
Olivier Rohan, a young doctor, has just opened a general practice. However, having only a small clientele, he continues to work in the hospital's emergency room. One night, he will witness the unnatural death of a young man.
Freddy, a Viennese Jew who emigrated to New York after Hitler's invasion, and Adler, a left-wing intellectual originally from Berlin, return to Austria in 1944 as soldiers in the U.S. Army. Freddy falls in love with the daughter of a Nazi, and Adler attempts to go over to the Communist Zone. But with the advent of the Cold War and continuing anti-semitism, the idealism of both characters is shattered as they find themselves surrounded by cynicism, opportunism, and universal self-deception.
A 17 year old boy falls in love with a 37 year old woman. As if this wouldn't be enough they are of different social classes and she is married.
Adrian Zumbusch is an extreme phobic and hypochondriac rolled into one. His life is like one long panic attack. The news that he has leukemia and only three months to live is like a liberating blow. Now that he has nothing left to lose, he blossoms and daringly throws himself into a wild life - and into love. He finds the perfect woman in doctor Katja Lorenz, who has a weakness for hopeless cases. But then it turns out that the diagnoses have been mixed up. The fatal diagnosis was not Zumbusch's at all.
A love triangle forms between post-Enlightenment writer Friedrich Schiller and two sisters -- one who became his wife, and the other, his biographer.
When psychology professor Friedrich Sibelius gives up his teaching job, a new phase of his life begins: his son Thomas needs advice, his grandchildren need attention, and his wife Anna drags him to a salsa course. On top of that, Friedrich finally wants to get his driver's license - and dares to flirt with his driving instructor Eva...
Marga Engel, a cook in a Bavarian country inn, has had a little house built with money she inherited. But the topping-out ceremony ends in disaster. Marga has been robbed of her house by the fraudulent building company Ohrmann. But someone like Marga Engel never gives up.
Louisa has to struggle through life as a single mother with her children David and Julia. Her colleague and best friend Christa is also fed up with being alone and applies to be a contestant on a TV "single addicted to singles" show. But Christa is too excited, so Louisa stands in for her and actually wins a weekend with the successful music producer Markus Fischer. But the weekend flirtation has blatant consequences ...
Marga Engel, the likeable and self-confident cook, has built up a new life for herself with a lot of energy and love: she works as a cook and "financial manager" in a children's home, whose little residents have taken the shrewd woman very much to their hearts. However, Marga's "favorite enemy", the slick building contractor Ohrmann, has his eye on the picturesque villa in which the home is housed. His plan: he wants to transform the magnificent building into an elegant anti-ageing clinic for a wealthy group of investors.
A woman admitted in a mental health centre in order to overcome the death of her son decides to finish with her life. Her situation worries her husband and also her roomate, who is admitted in the centre although being in perfect mental situation.
A satire about corruption, about big and small crimes: The noble clochard Maxwell, the unsuccessful film producer Harry and the unemployed actress Wally are anything but kissed by luck. But that changes when the three get in the way of a corporation, who, with the help of bribed politicians, tries.
On a business trip, Eva meets 21-year-old Tom. After a one-night stand, Eva would like to leave her with this "slip-up". But Tom fascinates her too much, and so the successful scientist lets herself into an affair with him. While for Tom neither age difference nor any conventions are an issue, Eva remains doubtful.
The story of a Leipzig family from 1987 to the Monday demonstrations in 1989. After the death of her father, a high-ranking officer in the People's Police, the daughter joins the resistance movement around St. Nicholas Church. Phenomena such as obedience, followership, spying and resistance are illustrated in this haunting film based on individual people. A film that provides food for thought for the discussion about the fall of the Berlin Wall and recapitulates contemporary history.
Lotte and Louise meet at a summer camp. Everyone who sees the two falls open in surprise, the girls look so much alike. It doesn't take long before they find out that they are actually twins.
The story of the 18 year old prostitute Fanny who falls back into her old life after being released from a reform school run by nuns. The feeble-minded Frieder tries to liberate her, fails, and pays for it with his life.
As a nun, Katharina von Bora lives the life destined for her until she comes into contact with a completely new world of thought in the early 20s through the writings of Martin Luther. She flees with some of her co-sisters and comes without legal status, without income and rejected by her family to Wittenberg, where she meets Martin Luther personally. Katharina decides to marry the reformer and, as his wife, becomes a respected housekeeper, an equal interlocutor and the mother of their children together.
Nine-year-old streetwalker Emily lives with her widowed mother in 19th century New York. Her life changes abruptly when she learns that she has been appointed sole heiress by an aging, wealthy Austrian countess. It is not only an heiress who causes turbulence, but also the countess's attempt to raise Emily as a member of the aristocracy.
A woman travels to New Zealand for the purpose of visiting his daughter. Give the fact that your company is interested in buying the farm where the girl works. But when her daughter announces the unexpected commitment to the son of the owner of the farm, a series of unexpected events completely change the two families.
After escaping from the Sudeten German Marienbad, Clara, together with her widowed brother-in-law Johann and his four children, is quartered in a small Franconian village in 1946. In addition to hunger and poverty Clara burdens the tuberculosis of her six-year-old niece Heidi. To raise money for life-saving medicines, she works as a harvest helper at Gut Braunfels. Here she meets the estate manager Martin again, her great love she had to leave because of the children. Immediately it sparkles again between the two, but also the power-conscious squire has kept an eye on Clara.
Vreni and Sali are made for each other. But a momentous argument between their fathers over a field tears the lovers apart. Only when both families have perished does Vreni and Sali seem to have a chance to live their love - even if only for one night...
A gay man's return to his family in East Germany begins a series of tragic events.
Germany, around the turn of the century. When sailor Poldi returns to his Bavarian home village after many years at sea he falls for his childhood friend Dorle. But Dorle is already promised to the village blacksmith Domini. A bitter rivalry between the two ensues.
Tommi Fischer, a newly divorced copywriter is looking for a replacement mother for his son. When he falls for the emancipated costume designer Evelyn he soon finds himself in the undesired role of a stay-at-home dad.
A low-rent private investigator and former cop is sent to Austria on a job, and while there sees a number of seemingly unrelated coincidences that lead him into a strange web of corruption and decadence.
The unscrupulous police commissioner Schimanski shake down patrons of a techno dance club in the drug-drenched Ruhr district.