18-year-old school boy Helmut falls in love with fellow pupil Britta. He starts working for a Peace movement to get to know Britta. Britta, however, suddenly moves to San Francisco to live with her father and whilst there, finds a new boyfriend. Helmut studies, literature and politics in his home town and have a relationship with another girl from his former school, now studying medicine at the same university but they break up after having an affair with her roommate. Helmut begins a lot of short affairs with different women but still searches for his first girl.

Dr. Claudia Keller works in the research department of the global chemical company Beyler. The company has pinned all its hopes on the development of a revolutionary lifestyle drug called Defaminol. The slimming pill promises consumers easy weight loss. Shortly before the launch of the new miracle pill, Claudia begins to have doubts about possible side effects. She tries to convince management to hold back the drug, but no one listens to her. A nightmare of lies and loss of trust unfolds, and Claudia Keller must decide how far she is willing to go.

Being a politician is a tough job. Federal Councillor Alois Mumenthaler knows this too and makes his way through the sessions as a grumpy and old-fashioned representative of the species. He is pretty much against everything and launches a rigorous anti-drug campaign that turns out to be a flop. His party no longer wants him and his wife even less so. He has also been diagnosed with glaucoma. The man is slowly going blind. A visit to the doctor reveals that cannabis, of all things, has a healing effect and could fight the disease. But a federal councillor and cannabis don't mix. Nevertheless, it is the only way for Mumenthaler to avoid complete blindness and keep his hopes of an operation alive.

50-year-old Erwin Graf is fired without warning: restructuring makes his job as HR manager redundant. He hides his dismissal from his family, as the Grafs are in the process of realizing their dream of owning their own home. Everyone struggles alone with their fears and insecurities. The film shows what happens when the harsh climate of the New Economy spills over into the family.

Sternberg lands with his parachute in the bed of a stewardess, in the car of an airport employee and finally on a freeway service area. There he meets Harry. Harry is blind and he joins Sternberg who is looking for his Hedi. Together they land in the flat of the model married couple, Alf and Evy. With his appearance he upsets the day-to-day life of the couple.

Maravan, aged 24, is a Tamil asylum seeker in Switzerland, working as casual help in a highly rated, gourmet restaurant in Zurich. It is also well below his own standards, because he is a gifted and highly passionate cook. In Sri Lanka his grandmother initiated him in the culinary arts, not least in the secrets of aphrodisiacal cuisine. When Maravan loses his job his colleague Andrea persuades him into a deal of the special kind: a joint catering venture for love menus.

Raimund Gregorius, having saved a beautiful Portuguese woman from leaping to her death, stumbles upon a mesmerizing book by a Portuguese author, which compels him to suddenly abandon the boring life he has led for years and to embark on an enthralling adventure. In search of the author, Gregorius acts as detective, pulling together pieces of a puzzle that involves political and emotional intrigue and the highest possible stakes. His voyage is one that transcends time and space, delving into the realms of history, medicine and love, all in search of true meaning to his life.

Nick Sander tries to cover up the impending bankruptcy of his advertising company from his bride Lilli Brenner. Nick assumes that his money problems will be solved once he marries the banker's daughter. At the same time, Oskar, his 13-year-old son, of whose existence Nick was previously unaware, is on his way from Salzburg to Zurich. When the boy turns up on Nick's doorstep, things get dicey. The groom has no use for an illegitimate child from a dark past. Nick answers Lilli's curious question about who the boy is with a white lie: a Mozart actor for his latest advertising campaign. This slander goes down badly with Oskar, which is why he puts his father under pressure.