Directed by:
Markus HerlingScreenplay:
Markus HerlingCinematography:
Peter SteugerCast:
Karin Düwel, Klaus Gehrke, Andreas Günther, Pasquale Aleardi, Isabella Parkinson, Ben Braun, Max Herbrechter, Paula Paul, Joel Eisenblätter, Axel Wandtke (more)Plots(1)
Berlin on Christmas Eve. A group of people meet who have nothing to do with each other, except for the fact that their paths happen to cross. Elke Neumann is a single mother. She is barely managing to survive but, because it's Christmas Eve, she's determined to at least treat her children to a meal in a restaurant of their choice – even though it means making a big sacrifice. Werner is Sebastian's father. He tries to get out of their annual Christmas meeting, but his feelings of guilt are so overpowering that a rendezvous becomes unavoidable. Alwin has returned from a disastrous audition. He's out of luck, as usual. Otto drives an underground train. He has lost his wife in a tragic accident. Cleaning supplies rep Sieglinde keeps him company in his driver's cab. Joseph has spent many hours in therapy trying to come to terms with his break-up from his girlfriend, Maria. Today he's feeling better at last. But then the tube pulls into the station and his ex-lover steps into his compartment. And then there's Wiener, who disguises himself as Santa Claus and steals from discount stores, leaving behind wise Buddhist sayings. The stories told in this episodic film are about love, cowardice, courage, grief and destiny; they tell of the unexpected happiness that an experience or a chance meeting can bring. (Berlinale)
(more)Cast
Karin Düwel
East Germany
Best movies:
Polizeiruf 110 (1971) (series)
Ein starkes Team (1994) (series)
30 Cases of Major Zeman (1974) (series)
Klaus Gehrke
German Empire
Best movies:
Naked Among Wolves (1963)
Aber Doktor (1979) (TV movie)
Das unsichtbare Visier (1973) (series)
Andreas Günther
Austria
Best movies:
Conspiracy (2001) (TV movie)
Dresden (2006) (TV movie)
Rabbit Without Ears 2 (2009)
Pasquale Aleardi
Switzerland
Best movies:
Head Full of Honey (2014)
The Berlin File (2013)
Gotthard (2016) (TV movie)
Isabella Parkinson
Brazil
Best movies:
Allmen (2017) (series)
Polizeiruf 110 (1971) (series)
Das merkwürdige Verhalten geschlechtsreifer Großstädter zur Paarungszeit (1998)
Ben Braun
West Germany
Best movies:
The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008)
The Girl with Nine Wigs (2013)
Single by Contract (2010)
Max Herbrechter
West Germany
Best movies:
Noi siamo angeli (1997) (series)
Schimanski (1997) (series)
Polizeiruf 110 (1971) (series)
Paula Paul
West Germany
Best movies:
Barefoot (2005)
Gigantics (1999)
C'est pas moi, c'est mon tic (2011)
Joel Eisenblätter
Germany
Best movies:
La Révélation (2009)
Polizeiruf 110 (1971) (series)
Tatort (1970) (series)
Axel Wandtke
East Germany
Best movies:
Never Look Away (2018)
Frantz (2016)
Coming Out (1989)
Gabrielle Scharnitzky
West Germany
Best movies:
Mesmer (1994)
Polizeiruf 110 (1971) (series)
Target (1985)
Anina Michalski
Best movies:
Tatort (1970) (series)
Heike Feist
East Germany
Best movies:
Herz aus Schokolade (2008) (TV movie)
Rosa Roth (1994) (series)
Wolfgang S. Zechmayer
Austria
Best movies:
Frozen Sky (2011) (series)
Hasenjagd - Vor lauter Feigheit gibt es kein Erbarmen (1994)
Gebürtig (2002)
Hans Klima
Germany
Best movies:
Polizeiruf 110 (1971) (series)
Tatort (1970) (series)
Rosa Roth (1994) (series)
Eva Mende
Best movies:
Erkan & Stefan (2000)
Under the Ice (2005)
Ein Goldfisch unter Haien (2004) (TV movie)
Katharina Koschny
Germany
Best movies:
Millionaire Dogs (1999)
Tatort (1970) (series)
Ich steig' Dir aufs Dach, Liebling (2009) (TV movie)
Jens Winter
Germany
Best movies:
Luther (2003)