Eltern (2013)

The anesthesiologist Christine and the theater director Konrad live with their two daughters, Käthe and Emma, in an old apartment building in Berlin-Kreuzberg. In recent years, Konrad has looked after the children and taken a break from his career to support his wife’s, as she is about to be promoted to senior physician. But when he receives a good offer to direct a play, he wants to return to work. They hire an Argentine au pair, but she is not up to the task. Isabel barely speaks German, came to Germany only to study, and is also pregnant. Konrad is unwilling to step aside again and insists that Christine now take care of the family, which she promises to do. But on her very first day, she is held up at the clinic, leaving the children alone in the apartment. Konrad confronts Christine and moves out of their shared home. He moves into the theater so he can focus better on his work and deal with the difficulties of getting the acting company to accept his ideas. Meanwhile, Christine is overwhelmed by looking after the children, who do not see her as an authority figure. Käthe, their ten-year-old firstborn, in particular gives her a hard time. Christine also has to look after Isabel, who is unsure whether she wants to have her baby. Christine visits Konrad at the theater, but he responds coldly to her visit. When she encounters him on the street the next day with Julie, the set designer, she accuses him of having an affair, even though she herself is having one with a colleague from the clinic. Konrad tries to clear things up, but his own daughter turns him away at the apartment door. Only when Isabel disappears with the two girls and does not reappear at first do Christine and Konrad patch things up. It remains unclear what will happen to the family.