Väter allein zu Haus: Andreas (2021)

For Andreas, who is in a partnership with Christian, it is hard to get used to the fact that Stella, whom the two men have raised together, is now seven and increasingly demanding more independence for herself, becoming less reliant on his care. Stella has lived with the men since birth; her mother, Christian’s sister, died while giving birth to her. Andreas looked after the little girl and lovingly cared for her while Christian pursued his career. Although Andreas has a degree in engineering, he has never had a job. Now, seven years after graduating, finding work proves very difficult. Andreas’s father, Herbert, cannot stand his son’s way of life. This, along with Herbert’s grumpy and conceited manner, leads his wife, Liselotte, to kick him out after more than thirty years of marriage. With nowhere to go, he moves in with Andreas and Christian for the time being. Conflict is inevitable. When Stella’s previously absent father, Samuel Lange, a dentist, suddenly shows up, intent on taking responsibility for his daughter, Andreas and Christian have cause for great concern. On their lawyer’s advice, they allow Samuel to get to know Stella. He arrives for their meeting with his wife, Annika, and his young daughter, Mia. The afternoon goes smoothly. But when Samuel then asks for joint custody of Stella, that is unacceptable to her two fathers. Compounding an already difficult situation, doctors discover a tumor on Stella’s spine that needs to be operated on. The operation is successful and prompts everyone who loves Stella to reflect. This includes Herbert, who finally lets the little girl call him Grandpa, as her cousin Anna does. Andreas’s sister, Judith Lanius, who is married to Mark, also has to admit that she is only partly managing to balance family and work. She is extremely busy as a doctor, and Mark is just as busy in advertising. Their daughter Anna is often neglected as a result. Judith is especially devastated when she realizes that she has simply forgotten her child’s birthday. Although Judith and Mark had wanted another child, their circumstances lead them to make a fundamental decision: Mark has a vasectomy. The catch, however, is that Judith discovers at that very moment that she is already pregnant—and with twins, no less. Stella gives her grandfather an idea for how to win his wife back. The royal garden party, where everyone wears crowns from Stella’s extensive collection, is a great success. It is made even better when Samuel turns up unexpectedly and tells Andreas and Christian that he has withdrawn his custody application. It is about Stella, he says, and it is obvious how happy she is in her family. Andreas and Christian assure him that he is always welcome in their home and that Stella can, of course, spend time with his family too. Finally, Andreas does get the chance to show what he can do professionally, at least on a part-time basis.