13 Semester 2009

Two friends Moritz and Dirk leave their small Brandenburg village to study mathematical economics at Technische Universität Darmstadt. Upon arriving, Dirk becomes a standout student, breezing through tutorials and term papers, while Moritz is pulled toward the party scene and works several side jobs just to get by.

At one of Bernd’s parties, Moritz meets the woman of his dreams, Kerstin, and they begin a relationship. The initial harmony is short-lived, as Moritz’s motivation falters and he is kicked out of his and Dirk’s study group, a setback that strangely fuels a new ambition. He teams up with his Indian fellow student Aswin, who lives with disciplined rigor, and together they navigate the path toward Moritz’s intermediate diploma. In gratitude, Moritz shows Aswin the lighter side of university life and takes him along to drink beer, a choice that sets Aswin on an unexpected course.

Screw the early bird

Moritz spends a semester abroad in Australia, a stretch the film presents through a series of photo sequences narrated by Moritz. The storytelling shifts depending on who he is talking to, offering different perspectives on the same events.

When he returns to Germany, he unexpectedly encounters Kerstin in a laundromat, and they start a new chapter together. At first, their relationship feels harmonious, but Moritz’s growing dissatisfaction with himself and his life creates tension, and Kerstin eventually ends the relationship, prompting Moritz to move out of the apartment he shared with Dirk.

A reunion with Dirk in Frankfurt reveals that, while Dirk has always chased goals directly, he questions whether that relentless pursuit was truly the best path. This reflection gives Moritz the motivation to finish his studies, and he passes his diploma.

The narrative then shifts to Australia again, where Moritz and Dirk run a successful chain of Maultaschen restaurants. Yet the film leaves the fate of Moritz and Kerstin unresolved, hinting that their futures—and their relationship—remain open.