A commercial artist with a lisp chooses silence, unexpectedly propelling his career. His perceived innovation leads to rapid advancement in an ad agency. Mueller-Stahl shines in this biting critique of East German workplace culture.
Frank, a tenth grade student, falls in love with his classmate Regine. His father is a well-connected plant manager in the GDR; Regine's mother is a single parent with four children. Regine wants to become a kindergarten teacher, but her grades are poor and she is not allowed to apply for technical college. Frank champions her and seeks an open discussion about these rigid regulations. But his criticism is nipped in the bud.
After the surprising death of his singing and life partner Charles, eccentric pop star Harry Hansen has lost all drive. Only his neighbor, the widowed surgeon Nicolaus Roeder, cares for him. To finally pull Harry out of his depression, he urges him to hire the unemployed cook Rosa as a housekeeper.
