Rohe Ostern (1996)

Frieder Kopp and Sebastian Engel are best friends. They’re interested in architecture and in the same woman: Frieder’s ex-girlfriend, Inge. Frieder’s favorite saying is, “Don’t panic, nothing happened.” Frieder works with Sebastian on a construction site. Fate has a number of things in store for today, including a fatal accident, but by chance the two men swap jackets, and Frieder also makes the coffee in Sebastian’s place for once. As a result, Schulz—one of the many servants of the realm of the dead—mistakes his client. When Sebastian arrives at the smoking accident scene, Frieder comes toward him with a relieved, “Don’t panic, nothing happened.” But Sebastian sees only the corpse and cannot perceive the ghostly body. Schulz takes the completely bewildered Frieder to the afterlife. Since he is constantly addressed as “Mr. Engel,” Frieder quickly realizes there’s been a mix-up. Schulz already has several mistakes on his work record, so he is willing to give Frieder seven more days in the world of the living. During that time, Frieder must make sure Sebastian takes the place intended for him. Sebastian, meanwhile, is on the verge of revealing to Inge the love he has kept so well hidden. Inge, too, has now realized that the shy Sebastian is a much better match for her than the womanizer Frieder. Frieder returns, and Sebastian—as helpful as ever—initially promises to cooperate in every way and accept his fate. Frieder even helps him win the architecture competition first. Frieder gets sidetracked, time is running short, and Sebastian’s desire to kill himself wanes each day. Sebastian’s grandfather comes from the realm of the dead to rescue the situation, which has reached an impasse. Together with Sebastian, he tries to steal a corpse, throw it off somewhere, and present it to Schulz as Sebastian, its head smashed beyond recognition. Schulz isn’t so easily fooled, and they have to abandon the plan. Since Sebastian can’t bring himself to do it, Inge finally makes the first move and declares her love for him. Frieder realizes Sebastian certainly won’t kill himself now, and resorts to harsher measures. He tries to kill Sebastian with an electrified door handle, but is so clumsy that he gets Inge instead. She is taken to hospital, and now even two lives are at stake, because Inge has been pregnant since the night before, after being with Sebastian. Cardiac and respiratory arrest! But the cable for the defibrillator is missing. Since Frieder is already dead, electricity can’t hurt him. He offers his body as a conductor, and Inge is saved. Frieder’s one-week reprieve has now expired. He must go to the realm of the dead and accepts his fate. Schulz still owes him a favor, so it isn’t long before Frieder gets a chance at reincarnation—as the son of Sebastian and Inge. One day, the little boy falls while walking and says, “Don’t panic, nothing happened.”