Laufen (2022)

Concert cellist Juliane Hansen is in her early forties when her partner, Johann, takes his own life. Deeply shaken by the tragedy, Juliane withdraws almost completely. Her friend Rike and her family support her in finding her way back into social life. Rike suggests that Juliane take up running, with the ambitious goal of competing in an official 10-kilometer race. Juliane begins training only reluctantly. Rike also recommends that her friend seek psychological help, so Juliane starts seeing a therapist. Even almost two years after Johann’s death, Juliane is still struggling deeply with her situation. She often recalls the happy moments she shared with Johann, and from time to time he also appears to her in everyday situations. Her relationship with Johann’s parents has been strained since his death. On the one hand, she faces accusations that she should have noticed something was wrong with Johann; on the other, during the division of his estate, she is repeatedly told that they were not married. In conversations with Rike, we learn that Johann’s increasing withdrawal put a strain on their relationship, and that Juliane briefly had an affair with a fellow orchestra member because of the loneliness that resulted. She had even thought about the possibility of separating and blames herself in part for Johann’s death. Juliane does not really want to get involved with a new man she met while running. Supporting Juliane is becoming increasingly difficult for Rike, since, two years into her grief, Juliane is unwilling to move on and seems to be actively nurturing it. Juliane runs the 10-kilometer race, and Rike and her family celebrate her achievement. Juliane confesses to Rike that she has met up with the man again and let herself get involved with him. In the period after the race, Juliane gradually puts her life in order and also reassesses her relationship with Johann. She gets rid of his clothes and burns the farewell letter, which consists of just two sentences, at her therapist’s office. In another step, Juliane dares to give a solo concert, something she has not done in a long time. The film ends with shots of the successful concert and Juliane running.