Separation City 2009

Simon Nicholson is a decent man, married to Pam Nicholson, and they raise two children with a comfortable routine. He feels frustrated by the lack of intimacy at home and finds himself drawn to Katrien Becker, a cellist who is a friend of his wife. Katrien travels from Europe to New Zealand in an effort to salvage her own failing marriage to Klaus Becker, but discovers him in bed with a young arts student, and their relationship subsequently falls apart. With her marriage in tatters and a sense of loneliness, Katrien becomes vulnerable to Simon’s quiet, steady appeal.

The two adults grow fascinated with one another, but the longing doesn’t immediately become a full-blown affair. Katrien is reluctant to undermine the very qualities that make Simon appealing—his upright, reliable nature—yet their feelings deepen. They try to meet, only to be thwarted by small, painful missteps: late arrivals that collide with family duties, or moments of physical doubt that derail the urge to consummate their attraction.

A chance occurs when both of them find themselves scheduled to be in Germany at roughly the same time. Simon books a hotel room in Berlin for a conference with his boss, and Katrien comes to his door. Before they can be intimate, Simon’s wife unexpectedly arrives, forcing Katrien to retreat through an adjoining door to another room. The two lovers hear each other’s voices through the wall as Simon and his wife share a tense, possessive moment, leaving Katrien hurt by the implosion of what might have been.

Pam’s suspicions are confirmed when she notices Simon slipping into the hallway during a speech and hearing Katrien’s voice on the other end of his phone. She returns to Wellington in anger and soon asks for a separation. In the wake of this, Simon confesses his love to Katrien, but she makes it clear she does not share those feelings. He returns home to be near his wife and children, even as Pam and Klaus’s upheaval continues to shape their lives. Over time, Pam forgives him, and the film closes with Katrien pursuing a new opportunity with an orchestra, living just a few blocks away from her ex-husband as he continues to care for the children.

Throughout the film, a social thread runs in parallel: a loose group of wives suggests forming an encounter group for their husbands, hoping to rekindle passion while preserving stability. The idea is met with light humor, and a practical concession about family life. Yet the plan dissolves after a session that spirals into a free-for-all fistfight, underscoring the messy, imperfect reality of adult desire and the compromises families navigate.