Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern (2013)

Emil lives at the “Landfried” orphanage, where he is close friends with Inga, who is a little older than he is. Inga’s parents died in an accident. She carries a magical amulet in which an image of her parents appears when she blows on it, giving her strength. The cold-hearted matron, Mrs. Landfried, makes the children work hard so she can enrich herself under the pretext of improving conditions at the orphanage. She treats them with cold condescension and extreme harshness: anyone who fails to meet the required standard is punished with a stick. On Christmas Day, the hungry, freezing children have to sell matches at the market in the nearby town. Whoever brings home the most pennies is promised a drumstick from the roast Christmas goose as a reward. Inga’s courage and strong voice attract the attention of the gendarme on duty during their mostly unsuccessful attempts to sell the matches. He proves kind and buys one from her. Since Emil is afraid of the threatened punishment, Inga selflessly gives him the little money she has earned by buying three of his matches, then goes off alone to look for more customers. There she meets a stranger who seems to know about her family’s fate and offers her words of comfort. Not wanting to return to the orphanage, she runs to her now-ruined parents’ home, where the stranger is waiting for her again. Feeling very cold, she disobeys the rules and lights one of her matches to warm herself. The festively decorated living room from days gone by appears. But as soon as the match goes out, the vision vanishes too. Encouraged by the stranger, she lights another match, and the whole bundle catches fire. She then finds her parents behind a curtain, and they welcome her warmly as the bundle of matches burns away. Late that evening, Emil has left the orphanage against the rules to look for Inga. He meets the helpful gendarme, comes to trust him, tells him about the conditions at the orphanage, and sets out with him to search for his missing friend. At Inga’s parents’ home, they find her lifeless, holding the burned-out bundle of matches. In the stranger’s presence (apparently an angel), her visions have gently accompanied her to her death from freezing; she is now truly reunited with her parents. Time jump: Twenty-year-old Emil is the new head of the orphanage, which is now called “Frieden.” The gendarme and his wife are making a generous donation to the children. Emil cares devotedly for the orphans and also gives Mrs. Landfried a second chance as an employee after her release from prison: she can earn her living through work, but is not treated badly. Emil carries Inga’s amulet, which now shows Inga’s image instead of her parents’, and in this way remains connected to his friend.