Die Solisten (2026)

Ten single parents—eight women and two men, with and without migrant backgrounds—meet in a disused factory building, dressed in color-coordinated clothes. They strike up conversations at different spots in the empty industrial hall and share their experiences and problems, such as everyday obstacles, discrimination, loneliness, feeling overwhelmed, stress, custody disputes, experiences of physical and psychological violence, and the loss of a partner. These scenes are supplemented by interviews in which they speak alone about their personal circumstances as single parents and the negative and positive experiences that come with them. In both the interviews and their conversations with one another, they also reflect on the role of single parents and question traditional gender roles. Alongside the interviews and conversations, choreographed moments, symbolic images, and scenes featuring the protagonists are interspersed throughout. From time to time, statements sung by the voice of the people can be heard. Embodied by opera singer Thilo Dahlmann, this voice quotes common prejudices and clichés about single parents. These statements, for example, downplay their situation or accuse single parents of being to blame for it themselves. Toward the end of the film, the voice of the people appears on screen and begins singing the musician Namosh’s song “Party Alone.” It then joins the ten single parents and eventually dances with them.