Winter Days

A quick home visit on the way home and then finally end of work! At least that’s how easy the young doctor Dr. Seder imagines it when he knocks on the door of the remote forest house after a long working day. But the bizarre old lady who takes care of her demented husband there doesn’t make it that easy for him. Inspired by the young man’s unexpected companionship, the lonely woman greedily clings to his closeness and hesitates to leave. Dr. Seder himself can hardly explain why he suddenly sits in the old woman’s beige wing chair with slippers on his feet and a steaming bowl of aunt Gretel’s pumpkin soup in his hand. But it was a long day and the soup tastes delicious. However, the old woman becomes more and more violent in her behaviour and for Dr. Seder the already strange situation becomes more and more disturbing. Even the soup suddenly gets a strange aftertaste…

Directed by Raphaela Selge, Winter Days leans on a strong ensemble — Gabriele Rolle, Erwin Geisler, Dominik Paul Weber — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2019.