Fremde Tochter (2017)

Lena is 17 years old and lives with her single mother, Hannah, in an apartment block in Mannheim. Lena is rebellious and wild, and enjoys partying with her school friends. She doesn’t let the other people in the neighborhood tell her what to do. She is on friendly terms with Mirko, a young boy from the neighborhood, and often looks after him because his father abuses him. Hannah has just lost her job at a sleazy used-car dealership, so Lena earns some extra money working as a cleaner in an open-plan office. There she meets Farid, an Arab who is doing an apprenticeship there. Although she doesn’t like Arabs, the two begin a sexual relationship, which they pursue at night in the empty office. It has consequences, and Lena becomes pregnant. Hannah is not exactly pleased by the news, since she had a child herself at a young age and knows all the worries that come with it. Hannah finds Lena’s new interest in Islam unsettling. Lena is torn over whether to have an abortion or commit to Farid. Things are no less complicated for Farid. His family fears that the two are too young and naïve, or that Lena might bring dishonor upon them. Lena, however, is undeterred and decides to become a Muslim and find her faith. Her desire for something to lean on grows even stronger when Mirko takes his own life. Her relationship with Hannah becomes strained because Hannah struggles with the path her daughter has chosen, and the two often argue. But Lena also knows about Hannah’s problems: to apply for unemployment benefits, she needs proof of employment from her former boss, who refuses to give it to her even after she has provided sexual favors. Lena tries to help her mother by flirting with Hannah’s boss and going to his office at the used-car lot. In self-defense, Lena uses pepper spray and gets the papers. Farid and his brother have been watching what happened from nearby because the brother suspected Lena had been unfaithful. However, they didn’t see everything and drive off, convinced of the wrong thing. When Lena hears the accusations, she wants to explain everything. Farid’s family won’t let her into the apartment, but Farid’s brother comes outside and beats her. Farid intervenes just in time. Lena insists that nothing happened and that Farid has to decide whether or not he believes her. Lena goes with Hannah to a clinic to have an abortion. Farid arrives and tries, through talking with her, to change Lena’s mind one more time. Lena goes into the treatment room, but then decides against the procedure after all. Lena and Farid ride the elevator down together. They are both happy, smiling and holding hands.