After the Hunt

Alma Imhoff and Frederik Mendelssohn host a dinner party as Alma returns from medical leave, highlighting the strain of tenure and professional visibility. Hank Gibson and Maggie Resnick attend, each watching how power, mentorship, and ambition shape their actions. The gathering seeds the underlying tensions that drive the story forward.

Maggie discovers a mysterious envelope containing old mementos and a newspaper clipping tucked away in the bathroom cupboard. The find hints at Alma's hidden past and quietly unsettles the party's dynamics. This moment foreshadows later revelations and Maggie's growing unease.

Hank accompanies Maggie home after the party, and a tentative line forms between them as trust is tested. The casual escort becomes a focal point for later accusations and misinterpretations. The moment marks the first fracture in the party's carefully curated image.

The next day, Maggie is absent from class and later confides that Hank assaulted her in her own home after a nightcap. Alma's response is ambivalent, balancing concern with the pressure to protect her own career. The confession sets the stage for public scrutiny and escalating conflict.

Alma confronts Hank, who denies the accusation and argues that Maggie invited him for a nightcap. He suggests Maggie is fabricating the assault to damage him and to undermine Alma's career prospects. The exchange intensifies the rift among the three protagonists.

Alma discovers the clipping is missing from the envelope and burns much of its contents. The next day, Hank is fired and storms into Alma's classroom, accusing her of failing to protect him. Maggie stands outside the room, underscoring the mounting tension.

Alma invites Maggie to dinner that night, and Maggie mentions a reporter has approached her about the allegations. Professional pressure intersects with personal loyalties as both women navigate risk and visibility. The dinner becomes another charged stage for truth and performance.

Dr. Kim Sayers, the university psychiatrist, supports Maggie while criticizing how the younger generation handles problems. Alma weighs the consequences of the scandal on her own career and credibility. The conversation deepens the moral ambiguity surrounding the case.

Maggie publicly accuses Hank and Yale of mishandling the case in the Yale Daily News. She translates a German clipping showing that, as a teenager, Alma accused a man of rape but later recanted. The revelation provokes a painful confrontation as Alma confronts Maggie about privacy.

Alma is caught forging a prescription for herself, triggering an indefinite pause on her tenure consideration. The scandal compounds the already fragile credibility surrounding her leadership. Frederik tries to understand, but the situation widens the rift.

Alma confronts Maggie on campus, lacing her accusation with comments about Maggie's work ethic, privilege, and performance. The confrontation escalates until Maggie slaps Alma, marking a public breakdown of their mentor-mentee relationship.

Alma retreats to her wharfside vacation apartment and finds Hank sleeping there, having kept borrowed keys. They discuss their recent pain; Hank acknowledges past boundary-crossing but denies rape. They share a kiss that Alma refuses to escalate, ultimately ejecting him.

The next day, Rolling Stone publishes an article criticizing Yale's handling of Maggie's allegations, and Alex gathers student protesters on campus. Alma collapses as her stomach ulcers perforate and is rushed to the hospital. The crisis takes a physical toll and exposes the mounting pressure on her.

In the hospital, Alma tells Frederik the truth about her teenage rape accusation, noting that she claimed rape even when the underlying events were complicated. Frederik points out that even if she feels the act was statutory rape, the past cannot simply be erased. Alma clarifies that she never had sex with Wolff.

In January 2025, Alma is a dean and publishes an article about her experience with statutory rape. She reunites with Maggie over dinner; they discuss their lives, with Maggie skeptical about Alma's happiness and the authenticity of the article. The scene ends with a meta nod as Luca Guadagnino yells 'cut!' off screen.