Almuth & Rita (2014)

If looks could kill, Almuth Seegers would have left behind a number of corpses. The former dentist just had to sell her practice to a younger colleague for reasons of age. Now the senior, who has been divorced for 19 years and is dissatisfied with her life, is faced with an inner emptiness that cannot be compensated for by trying to rediscover golf. Almuth has a big problem: she doesn't love herself, so she is unable to feel affection for others. If a conversation threatens to become too personal, she uses the phrase "That's enough, change the subject!" to finish briskly. Even her relationship with her mother Elisabeth, who lives in a nursing home, is of a clearly cold nature - no wonder, because Almuth does not want to admit to herself how much she has taken over from the cool, outwardly dismissive character of her wife Mama. Rita Ritter and her terrier mix Pankow sweep into the vague feeling of being lost from unwanted retirement. She is Almuth's cleaning lady, but has not been noticed by her until now, since the life of the frustrated woman in her mid-sixties revolved solely around her professional responsibility. Now two women from completely opposite worlds face each other: On the one hand, the strict ex-doctor who is incapable of emotional emotions, on the other hand, a whirlwind from the former East with an infectious temperament and a loose tongue. Rita quickly realizes what is wrong with her employer and tries to lure her out of her reserve. In doing so, she achieves partial successes, but these are not of long duration. At some point, even the household help, who is blessed with a thick skin, finds it too much: Rita resigns and Almuth is left alone again. Now it is up to her to jump over her own shadow and open up to her fellow human beings in order to be respected and loved herself.