What Is A Year Ago in Winter About?
The premise of A Year Ago in Winter in 290 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the polished yet pressure‑laden world of Munich’s design scene, Eliane Richter navigates a life built on perfect appearances. As a successful interior designer, she is accustomed to curating spaces that hide the turbulence underneath, a habit that now extends to the most personal corner of her home: the memory of her son, whose absence still casts a shadow over her carefully constructed facade.
Seeking a way to freeze that elusive presence, she commissions a portrait from Max Hollander, a painter known for his ability to glimpse what lies beneath the surface. His assignment is to capture both of her children—her late son, whose photograph she provides as a reference, and her daughter—on a single canvas. The commission becomes a delicate negotiation between artistic vision and a mother’s yearning for a tangible connection to what is no longer there.
The daughter, Lilli Richter, is a talented but emotionally fragile ballet student whose own ambitions clash with the weight of family expectations. She is drawn into the portrait sessions with a mixture of reluctance and curiosity, while also pursuing an uneasy intimacy with Aldo, a figure who offers a fleeting sense of closeness. Their interactions hint at a family dynamic built on unspoken rules, where failure feels forbidden and vulnerability is often concealed behind performance.
The film moves through soft, muted tones that echo the quiet tension of a household steeped in quiet desperation. It invites the audience to linger on the unarticulated grief and the subtle power of art to reveal hidden truths. As the painter and his subjects engage, the story suggests that the act of looking—whether through a camera, a brush, or a dancer’s poised body—may be the first step toward understanding the fragile facades that bind them.
What Happens in A Year Ago in Winter?
The complete story of A Year Ago in Winter, from the first scene to the last, in 390 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In Munich, interior designer Eliane Richter, Corinna Harfouch, is shown under the constant stress of a demanding career. She hires the painter Max Hollander, Josef Bierbichler, to create a portrait of her children, Alexander Richter, Cyril Sjöström, and Lilli Richter, Karoline Herfurth. Eliane wants the painting to memorialize Alexander, who took his own life about a year earlier, and she provides pictures and videos of him to help the artist capture his presence. She requests a double portrait with Lilly, but Lilly is repulsed by the idea of having her dead brother on the wall “for decoration.” Lilly is an emotionally troubled ballet student, already feeling the pressure of career and commitment, and unlike her mother, she is not disciplined enough to avoid conflict. Under the weight of studies, she loses her leading role at the Theatre Academy due to disputes with her teacher, and she searches for closeness and intimacy in her relationship with the artist Aldo, Mišel Matičević, albeit with little success.
During the sessions, Lilly is initially reserved while Max Hollander works to see beyond her guarded surface and draw out her character in the painting. As they work, Max begins to sense the depth of Lilly’s and Alexander’s bond, and he also reconnects with his own past losses. The process gradually forges a trust between painter and model, and their evolving connection helps Lilly confront her grief in a way she hadn’t anticipated. Their collaboration deepens the sense that the siblings’ shared history is more complex than Eliane anticipated, and the painter’s perspective allows him to glimpse the emotional landscape that the family has kept hidden.
As the portrait takes shape, Eliane’s expectations shift. The final work does not satisfy her initial hopes, yet it quietly dissolves some of her resistance to Lilly’s pain and to the memory of Alexander. Lilly begins to come to terms with the mystery surrounding her brother’s suicide, accepting that she may never fully understand why it happened, and she starts to find a path toward forgiveness.
The story is framed by a meditation on facades within a family, as Karoline Herfurth has described in interviews: “a family of facades which falls apart by suicide. In this family, one must not make mistakes, one must not fail, one does not learn to deal with failure, to ask each other for help.”
A Year Ago in Winter Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Commissioning the memorial portrait” to “Resolution: transformation rather than closure”. 12 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Commissioning the memorial portrait
Eliane Richter, a Munich-based interior designer, commissions Max Hollander to paint a portrait of her children, Alexander and Lilly. The painting is intended as a memorial for Alexander, who died about a year earlier. Eliane provides photos and videos of Alexander for reference, and her husband supports the project.
When:shortly after Alexander's death (about a year ago) Where:Munich, Eliane's home
- 2
Double portrait plan and Lilly's discomfort
Eliane wants Lilly to sit for a double portrait with her late brother. Lilly is disgusted by the idea of having her dead brother on the wall 'for decoration'. The plan exposes the tension between memory and living life within the family.
When:early planning phase Where:Eliane's home/studio
- 3
Lilly's career pressures and Theatre Academy troubles
Lilly, a ballet student, is unsettled by career pressure and commitment. She loses her leading role at the Theatre Academy due to disputes with her teacher. She attempts to seek closeness with the artist Aldo but the pursuit remains unsuccessful.
When:around the early portrait period Where:Theatre Academy; Lilly's personal life
- 4
First sessions reveal Lilly's reserve
During the painting sessions, Lilly is reserved at first. Max seeks to look behind her facade and capture her true character. He starts to understand Lilly's realm of feelings.
When:early sessions Where:Max's studio
- 5
Max's personal losses illuminate Lilly's world
Max recognizes the profound losses in his own history and uses that insight to connect with Lilly's experiences. Their mutual vulnerability allows trust to grow between painter and model.
When:mid-sessions Where:Max's studio
- 6
Growing trust between painter and Lilly
The relationship deepens as Lilly opens up and Max becomes more attuned to her inner life. The painting process becomes a dialogue rather than a mere commission.
When:mid to late sessions Where:Studio
- 7
Portrait outcome challenges Eliane but reaches Lilly
The final portrait does not meet Eliane's expectations, but it breaks her reservations about Lilly. Through the process, Eliane begins to cope with Alexander's death and see Lilly in a new light.
When:after the portrait sessions Where:Studio/Eliane's home
- 8
Lilly accepts the unknown and forgives
Lilly accepts that she may never uncover why Alexander took his life and chooses to forgive him. This realization marks a turning point in her emotional world and in her relationship with her brother's memory.
When:after viewing portrait Where:Lilly's space
- 9
Aldo and Lilly's relationship remains unresolved
In parallel with the portrait work, Lilly unsuccessfully pursues closeness with the artist Aldo, highlighting the broader struggle for intimacy and connection within the family and among individuals.
When:during the process Where:Aldo's space
- 10
The facade cracks under the weight of suicide
Karoline Herfurth describes the film as about a family of facades that falls apart due to suicide. The story shows that perfection is unsustainable and that asking for help is essential. The suicide of Alexander serves as the catalyst for the unraveling.
When:over the year since Alexander's death Where:Munich family home / general
- 11
Max's artistic breakthrough
As Lilly's inner life becomes clearer, Max's portrait-making becomes more than a likeness, acting as a bridge between past losses and present healing. He also confronts his own history through the work.
When:late sessions Where:Max's studio
- 12
Resolution: transformation rather than closure
The film ends with a transformed family dynamic rather than a neat resolution. The portraits reveal the need for help, forgiveness, and connection, leaving the family changed by their revelations.
When:end of the process Where:Munich, throughout the family home and studio
Who Are the Main Characters in A Year Ago in Winter?
5 characters, among them Eliane Richter (Corinna Harfouch), Lili Richter (Karoline Herfurth) and Alexander Richter (Cyril Sjöström): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- ER
Eliane Richter (Corinna Harfouch)
Played by Corinna Harfouch
Eliane is a successful interior designer whose career-driven mindset collides with a family grieving in private. She orchestrates the memorial portrait for Alexander, seeking control in a moment of vulnerability. Through the sessions, she confronts the gap between appearance and feeling, gradually allowing herself to rely on others. Her evolving perspective helps the family glimpse a possibility of rebuilding trust.
- 💼 Career
- 🧭 Pressure
- 👪 Family
- LR
Lili Richter (Karoline Herfurth)
Played by Karoline Herfurth
Lili is an emotionally troubled ballet student unsettled by career and commitment pressures. She resists the double portrait but secretly seeks closeness, testing boundaries with the artist Aldo. Her journey through grief and dependency reveals a longing for genuine connection beyond performance. She reaches a fragile point of forgiveness as the portrait process continues.
- 🎭 Rebellion
- 💔 Grief
- 🩰 Ballet
- AR
Alexander Richter (Cyril Sjöström)
Played by Cyril Sjöström
Alexander is the deceased brother whose suicide a year earlier triggers the family’s crisis. His memory hangs over the mother and sister, shaping their actions and expectations. The portraits act as a window into his absence, forcing the family to confront unspoken truths. His presence in memory drives the film’s emotional core.
- 💔 Tragedy
- 🕯️ Memory
- 🧭 Catalyst
- MH
Max Hollander (Josef Bierbichler)
Played by Josef Bierbichler
Max is the painter commissioned to capture the children, whose own past informs his empathetic approach. Through Lilly’s sessions, he learns to see beyond the surface, using art as a means to connect with hidden feelings. His work becomes a catalyst for honest conversation and healing within the family. The final portrait challenges parental expectations and opens doors to reconciliation.
- 🎨 Artist
- 💬 Conversation
- 🧭 Healing
- A(
Aldo (Mišel Matičević)
Played by Mišel Matičević
Aldo is another artist whom Lilly pursues for closeness, though the relationship remains tentative. He observes the family’s dynamics from a distance, offering an alternative lens on art and intimacy. His presence highlights Lilly’s search for connection outside her family’s tensions. The dynamic with Aldo contrasts with the deeper healing that comes through the portrait sessions.
- ❤️ Romance
- 🎨 Artist
- 💔 Unrequited love
Where and When Is A Year Ago in Winter Set?
A Year Ago in Winter is set in Munich (Contemporary). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Contemporary
The events unfold in a contemporary setting, with characters navigating modern career pressures and social expectations. The timeline centers on about a year after Alexander’s death, framing the present as a fragile moment of adjustment. Portrait sessions take place in a modern domestic and studio environment, reflecting current artistic practices. The film uses this timeframe to explore how memory and grief resist neat resolution in today’s world.
Where
Munich
Munich serves as the urban backdrop for a story centered in design studios and theatres where a family’s private life collides with public expectations. The city’s art and culture scene mirrors the film’s focus on portraiture and memory. The setting grounds the drama in a modern city known for its arts and design, shaping the characters’ ambitions and pressures.
- 🏙️ Munich
- 🖼️ Art scene
- 🧭 Contemporary city
What Are the Themes of A Year Ago in Winter?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Grief & Healing, Facade & Pressure and Art & Therapy.
-
01
Grief & Healing
Alexander's death fractures the family’s facade and drives the mother’s insistence on memorializing him. The portraits become a conduit through which pain is confronted and slowly soothed. Lilly’s struggle with loss exposes vulnerability beneath her guarded exterior. Through art and dialogue, the family learns to forgive and find a path toward healing.
-
02
Facade & Pressure
The narrative centers on appearances—success at work, perfect family images, and social expectations—that mask deeper wounds. Eliane, Lilly, and Max each protect themselves behind careful façades, which the portrait sessions gradually unravel. The film shows how a demand to perform can hinder genuine connection, until honesty disrupts the mask. This tension drives character choices and personal growth.
-
03
Art & Therapy
Painting functions as a bridge between estranged family members, letting hidden emotions surface. Max’s and Aldo’s sessions reveal different approaches to art and intimacy, guiding Lilly toward connection. The portrait process serves as a mirror, reframing memory and blame into understanding. Ultimately, art becomes a vehicle for healing and reconciliation.
What Kind of Film Is A Year Ago in Winter?
Melancholic in tone, with slow pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A slow, melancholic meditation on grief and family secrets that unfolds through the quiet, intense process of portraiture, balancing heavy emotional weight with a cathartic sense of acceptance.
- grieving
- reflective
- somber
- introspective
- quiet
- cathartic
- grief and loss
- family dysfunction
- artistic expression
- suicide
Content notes: suicide, death of sibling, grief.
Quiz
How well do you remember A Year Ago in Winter? Test yourself on the story.
