The Cloud

The Cloud

Year: 2006

Runtime: 105 mins

Language: German

Director: Gregor Schnitzler

DramaThriller

A catastrophic failure at a German nuclear power plant triggers a massive radiation leak that kills tens of thousands. Teenagers Hannah and Elmar seek shelter together, but Hannah is exposed and becomes contaminated, confronting the personal toll of the disaster.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Cloud (2006)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Cloud (2006). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Markt Ebersberg near Schweinfurt, Bavaria; Schlitz, East Hesse; Bad Hersfeld, Hesse; Hamburg

The action centers on the area around a fictitious nuclear power plant at Markt Ebersberg near Schweinfurt in Bavaria, where an MCA triggers a massive evacuation. The story follows Hannah as she navigates the widening disaster from her hometown to larger towns and cities such as Schlitz in East Hesse, Bad Hersfeld, and eventually Hamburg, showing how communities react to a nuclear scare.

🏭 Nuclear disaster zone 🏘️ Bavarian towns 🌆 Hamburg 🗺️ German regions

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:13

Main Characters – The Cloud (2006)

Meet the key characters of The Cloud (2006), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Hannah - Paula Kalenberg

A teenage girl who must look after her younger brother during the evacuation. She endures the shock of the disaster, faces isolation in Hamburg, and forms a cautious bond with Elmar as she seeks a way home and to protect her family.

🧒 Teen 🧪 Radiation 🧭 Survival

Elmar - Franz Dinda

A schoolmate who helps Hannah escape the danger and later grapples with radiation exposure. He remains protective and conflicted, ultimately choosing life while supporting Hannah through hospital visits and the long road back to Schlitz.

🧒 Teen 🤝 Friendship 🧬 Radiation

Uli

Hannah's younger brother whose evacuation journey ends tragically when he is killed in a hit-and-run while heading toward safety.

🧒 Kid 💔 Loss

Tante Helga - Gabriela Maria Schmeide

Hannah's aunt who comes to pick her up in Hamburg. She provides a safe refuge and pragmatic support after the disaster, revealing the personal costs of evacuation.

👵 Family 🏠 Shelter 🗺️ Refuge

Ayşe - Claire Oelkers

A girl Hannah befriends in the hospital who shares the experience of radiation exposure and helps her cope with the trauma of the accident and its aftermath.

🧒 Friend 🏥 Hospital 🧪 Radiation

Mother of Felix - Nicole Marischka

Felix's mother who is mentioned as being away during the crisis, later revealed to have died, adding to Hannah's sense of loss and isolation.

👩 Family 💔 Loss

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:13

Major Themes – The Cloud (2006)

Explore the central themes of The Cloud (2006), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🔥 Disaster

A sudden nuclear accident unleashes fear and chaos, forcing mass evacuations and rapid shifts in daily life. The teens experience shifting loyalties, radio updates, and frantic decisions as emergency management directs everyone to flee.

☢️ Radiation

Radiation exposure and its visible consequences drive the plot, including hair loss and medical treatment. The environment becomes a silent threat that alters personal relationships and long-term outlooks.

🧭 Coming of Age

Hannah and her peers confront responsibility, danger, and uncertainty far from home. The crisis tests trust, courage, and resilience, shaping their identities as they move through institutions like hospitals and shelters.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:13

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Grim disaster aftermath survival movies like The Cloud

Stories of ordinary people grappling with the devastating personal toll of a large-scale catastrophe.If you appreciated The Cloud's focus on the human cost of a catastrophe, this list features similar movies about survival after a disaster. These stories explore grief, resilience, and the fragile bonds formed in the face of overwhelming tragedy.

tensesombergrievinggrimanxiousmelancholichopeful

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically begin with or shortly after a catastrophic event, shifting the focus from the spectacle of the disaster itself to the harrowing struggle for survival. Characters navigate a broken world, contending with loss, scarce resources, and the psychological trauma of their experience.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by their somber, tense tone and high emotional stakes. They share a focus on realistic human reactions to tragedy, prioritizing character-driven drama over action-packed spectacle, and often feature bittersweet or melancholic endings.

Bittersweet coming-of-age stories in extreme circumstances like The Cloud

Young characters forced to mature quickly amidst tragedy, finding fragile hope.If you were moved by Hannah and Elmar's journey in The Cloud, explore other movies about young love and maturity forged in crisis. These films feature teenagers facing immense hardship, leading to a bittersweet and emotionally heavy coming-of-age experience.

somberhopefulgrievingmelancholicanxiousheartfeltresilient

Narrative Summary

The narrative arc centers on young protagonists whose ordinary world is upended by a crisis. Their journey is one of accelerated maturation, as they confront adult realities of mortality, responsibility, and profound loss. The central relationships provide a sliver of hope, but the ending acknowledges the permanent scars left by their ordeal.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups films based on their focus on youthful protagonists navigating unimaginable hardship. They blend the raw emotion of a heavy drama with a specific kind of coming-of-age story where hope is earned through suffering, not granted easily, resulting in a deeply poignant tone.

Unlock the Full Story of The Cloud

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Cloud 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 The Cloud is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Cloud Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Cloud, 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.

The Cloud Summary

The Cloud Timeline

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

The Cloud Timeline

The Cloud Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Cloud 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.

The Cloud Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Cloud

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Cloud: 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 The Cloud

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