Meeresleuchten (2021)

When Thomas and Sonja Wintersperger first hear news of a plane crash over the Baltic Sea, they still have a little hope that their daughter was on another flight from Japan to Germany. But before long, the news of her death becomes a sad certainty. The two attend a memorial service on the Baltic coast, a few kilometres from the crash site. On the bus ride back to the hotel, it becomes too much for Thomas. He gets off and wants to walk back alone. Along the way, he meets old Max, who takes him to the village of Maalsund, where Thomas befriends some of the residents and spontaneously decides to spend the night. The next morning, he promptly buys a small shop at the village harbour, along with a boat, so he can be close to his daughter here. In doing so, he leaves his successful business life behind. His wife grieves differently: she avoids the place that holds their memories, and the couple grow apart. With his shop and its café, Thomas becomes an important meeting place in the small village, which many residents are moving away from. By now, he has also hired Wiebke to work in the shop. He listens to his regular customers and offers them advice. They include Max, who lovingly cares for his granddaughter, and the eccentric but lovable Rena, who has plenty of stories to tell but still wants to prepare meals for her late husband. Her granddaughter Nina is a successful dancer, so she is constantly travelling the world. The artist Matti looks after her villa and helps Thomas with his shop. Thomas also tries to mediate between the two; he feels at home here. By now, Thomas’s brother Florian has arrived in the village because he is seeking advice about their joint company. Thomas wants nothing more to do with it. Later, Florian and Sonja are able to sell the company and the couple’s house at a profit. One night, Thomas dreams of his deceased daughter. After she asks several times, “May I go?”, he lets her go and finds peace. When the next Christmas celebration is held in his shop, all his newfound friends are there. Only his wife is missing. Sonja suddenly comes in through the door; she only wants to talk to him briefly. But she stays, and the two consider buying a house nearby and living here together.