Obendrüber da schneit es (2012)

Around December 23 and 24, the residents of an apartment building in Munich are confronted with various problems. Miriam Kirsch has to tell her daughter Julchen that, for the first time, they will celebrate Christmas without her father because her parents have just separated. Meanwhile, newly ordained priest Gregor Thaler is under pressure to fill in for a colleague at short notice and prepare the sermon for the Christmas Eve Mass. After 35 years of marriage, Achim and Waltraud Henning’s holiday preparations plunge them into a serious crisis when Achim forgets to buy the Christmas goose, thwarting Waltraud’s plans. Single father Michael gives up all efforts to make the holidays peaceful, faced with his teenage daughter Nina. The young couple Isabell and Nick also fail in their attempt to make their first Christmas together as unconventional as possible; it ends in broken things and a quarrel. In the meantime, widower and caretaker Eberling comes to terms with his fate and resigns himself to a lonely Christmas in front of the television. Their neighbor Rosa Wagner regrets that, after the deaths of her daughter and husband, she will once again spend Christmas Eve alone. When Father Gregor slips and falls on the snowy street while reciting his sermon, the residents carry him into Miriam’s lavishly decorated apartment. Mother and daughter then spontaneously invite all the residents to celebrate Christmas with them, while Gregor waits lying down for the emergency doctor. After some initial arguments, reconciliation among the residents is inevitable. Later, the Hennings’ children arrive and can hardly believe their eyes when they find their parents partying exuberantly in a neighbor’s apartment. Rosa is delighted to celebrate Christmas together with all the neighbors. She peacefully falls asleep, and the emergency doctor, who was supposed to help the priest, can only pronounce her dead. Rosa’s death brings the Christmas celebration to an abrupt end. After receiving emergency medical treatment, Gregor has to leave for the Christmas Eve Mass, accompanied by Miriam and Waltraud, who sing in the choir, and almost all the other residents. He abandons his laboriously written sermon draft and spontaneously delivers an unscripted sermon to the congregation, speaking about his experiences and impressions on Christmas Eve. When it is finally the choir’s turn, Miriam overrules the choir director and begins singing Coldplay’s “Fix You,” which Gregor had originally requested for the service. While caretaker Eberling reconciles with his daughter at his wife’s grave, the residents of the apartment building return to their own apartments after the service to exchange Christmas presents. Gregor decides to end the evening with a visit to Miriam and Julchen.