A Year Ago in Winter

A Year Ago in Winter

Year: 2008

Runtime: 129 mins

Language: German

Director: Caroline Link

Drama

A renowned artist must uncover a young dancer’s secrets in order to truly capture her likeness for a commissioned work.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen A Year Ago in Winter yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – A Year Ago in Winter (2008)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Year Ago in Winter (2008). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

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.

Location

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

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:41

Main Characters – A Year Ago in Winter (2008)

Meet the key characters of A Year Ago in Winter (2008), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Eliane Richter (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

Lili Richter (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

Alexander Richter (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

Max Hollander (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

Aldo (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

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:41

Major Themes – A Year Ago in Winter (2008)

Explore the central themes of A Year Ago in Winter (2008), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 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.

🎭 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.

🎨 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.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:41

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Unlock the Full Story of A Year Ago in Winter

Don't stop at just watching — explore A Year Ago in Winter in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what A Year Ago in Winter is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

A Year Ago in Winter Summary

Read a complete plot summary of A Year Ago in Winter, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

A Year Ago in Winter Summary

A Year Ago in Winter Timeline

Track the full timeline of A Year Ago in Winter with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

A Year Ago in Winter Timeline

A Year Ago in Winter Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of A Year Ago in Winter that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

A Year Ago in Winter Spoiler-Free Summary

More About A Year Ago in Winter

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about A Year Ago in Winter: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About A Year Ago in Winter

Similar Movies to A Year Ago in Winter

Discover movies like A Year Ago in Winter that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.