Einmal Bauernhof und zurück (2014)

After the death of her parents, dairy farmer Klara tries to run the family farm alone in the small Eifel village of Mückenweiler. But finances are in bad shape, and she will have to sell the farm. To prevent that, after a long time she gets in touch with her sister Mika, who lives in Düsseldorf and is a successful art gallery owner. Mika, who never liked country life, sees an opportunity to lure her sister to the big city and invites her to stay. But she immediately regrets it, since Mika believes Klara, as a “country bumpkin,” will not know how to behave properly in the city. Klara, too, is unsure whether she can fit into her sister’s snobbish world. Nevertheless, she sets off for Düsseldorf with her golden retriever. As a welcome gift, she brings a lot of sausage and fresh vegetables from her farm, prompting Mika to ask whether she thinks there are no shops here. Deep down, Mika likes her sister and would be happy to help her. But she does not have money to spare for the farm, either. Instead, she wants to help Klara make a fresh start in her career and sends her to a coach who is supposed to prepare Klara for life in the big city. At their first meeting, the man is impressed by all that Klara has accomplished on her own in the past. He encourages her to come up with a business idea and find a product niche that she could successfully pursue on her farm. Mika’s family finds Klara’s presence refreshing. Her son Moritz, in particular, loves having a dog in the house and someone who makes time for him right away. Her daughter Lola is more reserved at first. On her first tour around the city, Klara meets Hauke, who runs a greengrocer’s shop. Among the fruit and vegetables, Klara feels a little at home. Hauke quickly becomes friends with her and even helps her with a small side job she has taken on for her sister. Her spirits suddenly sink when someone interested in buying the farm gets in touch. Surprisingly, Mika is willing to come along to the Eifel and spruce the farm up a little to improve its chances of selling. Unlike her brother, Lola is not at all keen on getting her hands dirty with farm work. Klara does not hold it against her, though—how could a city kid have a feel for nature? Mika, who had wanted to get the farm on the market as quickly as possible, is unexpectedly moved by old memories. After the prospective buyer has viewed the farm, Mika, Klara, and the children drive back to Düsseldorf. There, Klara unexpectedly comes up with an idea to save her business: she will switch to producing “edible flowers,” and with Hauke’s help she will already have her first sales outlet. Her spirits sink again when she gets into an argument with Mika. They both realize that their “worlds” have grown too far apart. Klara packs her things and returns to her farm. She immediately sets about putting her new business idea into practice. She sells her dairy cows to a farmer friend and replants the land. To her great surprise, a few weeks later Hauke comes to visit; he had not understood why she left so abruptly. Now he wants to make her see that it is finally time to stop going it alone. As Klara recognizes this, her sister, too, comes to realize that she should give herself and her family a little more breathing room. She starts painting again herself, instead of only exhibiting other people’s work. Klara’s colorful fields provide her with the perfect subject.