Vier kriegen ein Kind (2015)

In Hamburg, literature professor Neele and dental technician Steff are partners. They fulfill their wish to have a child through artificial insemination. However, a mix-up occurs at their gynecologist’s reproductive medicine clinic. The biological father is not the young sperm donor they chose, who has no wish to become a father, but the friendly sports journalist Kalle Schmitz. Kalle is also planning to start a family with his partner, Jens, a real estate agent. When the surrogate for the two men backs out at the last moment, the gay couple sees the mix-up as an opportunity. They want to be actively involved throughout the pregnancy and to be there for “their” child afterward, too. Steff and Neele, however, are against raising the child together with the two men. Neele tries to get rid of them with a contract. To her, Kalle and Jens are just two gay squares with completely different outlooks on life. So every attempt to get closer leads to more and more friction. Jens thinks Neele is cold-hearted and has reservations about entrusting her with a child. But it soon becomes clear to the mismatched foursome that this is not about anyone’s personal feelings. It is about a child and its future, and that calls for a willingness to cooperate, not conflict. Over time, mutual trust grows, and they begin to feel like a real “four”-parent family. Steff’s parents have a hard time coming to terms with having a grandchild from a lesbian couple. Deeply hurt, Steff considers cutting off contact with them. A little later, she suffers a miscarriage. Steff is devastated, and so is Kalle. To cope with the situation, Kalle retreats into his religious faith. Jens takes a more pragmatic view and considers turning to a surrogate again. Kalle, however, sees this as a betrayal. Steff also wants nothing to do with another pregnancy. But she talks things through with her mother, who tells her how proud she is of her daughter. The four grow especially close during their respective crises. Steff discusses things with Kalle that she can’t talk about with Neele, and Jens, too, finds in Neele a good listener. This leads to a situation in which Neele and Jens now see themselves as the future parents. In a sort of self-experiment, Neele inseminates herself with Jens’s sperm using a syringe. The two candidates “make the sacrifice,” and Neele really does become pregnant. Nine months later, there are four happy parents and a blended rainbow family.