Edda Chiemnyjewski, a freelance press photographer and single mother living in 1970s West Berlin, is confronted with the fact that "a cook has no time for affairs of state". She also fails to find a market for the project she has been working on with her women′s photography group that seeks to document the city. While from today′s perspective the city, which becomes one of the film′s protagonists, looks like post-war Berlin, little has actually changed as regards the precarious existence of free-lancers. With a heavy dose of self-irony Helke Sander, who also plays the leading role, tells of a divided life in a divided city.

Eva works as a decoy. Her job is to test husbands for their fidelity. Her good friend Corinna gives her a particularly well-paid assignment. She is to seduce Stefan, the husband of the very wealthy Christiane Reedmann, and lure him into a trap. A short time later, Christiane is killed and all the evidence points to Eva as the murderer. Now Eva herself is caught in the trap.

The 12-year-old Toni, known as "Toni Goldwascher", is an outsider. He lives with his mother Maria in a disreputable house outside the community by the river. The son of a large farmer, Hans Beil, harasses him because he is after Gold Bay. Herbert, the mute Elfie and the chaplain are on his side, but when Toni actually finds gold, the situation comes to a head.

Four female cons who have formed a band in prison get a chance to play at a police ball outside the walls. They take the chance to escape. Being on the run from the law they even make it to sell their music and become famous outlaws.