Ben (11) and Tariq (12) have more in common than they realise. Both are new to school and football and have lost their homeland. Ben's village will soon became an open brown coal mine. He and his family move to a nearby city but Ben fails to fit in at his new school. Bullied, he returns secretly to his old, abandoned home. His one pleasure, football, pales with the arrival of Tariq, a Syrian refugee and better player. But when bureaucracy stops Tariq playing, he runs away, Ben finds him and learns that Tariq is desperate to be reunited with his scattered family. Jealousy on the football field becomes friendship and understanding.

Since Mrs. Blok suffers from dementia, she rarely leaves the house and spends most of her day watching the family happiness of her neighbors: Eva, her husband and their two teenage children lead a harmonious family life after moving into the house next door and Ms. Blok takes a big emotional part of it. Her health condition improves as a result. But because of her good powers of observation, she also noticed one day as the first fine signs that the family happiness is wavering. Mr Blok, who states that his wife is now doing much worse, then decides to intervene - with fatal consequences for both families.