Germany, 1946. Hunger, rubble, returning soldiers. Charlotte is pregnant, but her beloved returnee does not want her or his child. In order to win him over and escape the impending shame, she enrolls in the "missing course" of actress Gloria Deven, who was an up-and-coming film star under Fascism and is now banned from working. But Gloria, with her merciless lessons, is not interested in reviving the coquetry of girls that became superfluous in the war. Instead, she awakens in Lotte a longing for something too long denied her: Freedom.

Marie (25) is a young, penniless mother trapped in a life she never wanted for herself. When she saves the life of adrenaline junkie Erich (30), she is fascinated by him. Erich introduces Marie to the world of showmen and takes her on a hunt for an intense life. The beginning of an intoxicating love that confronts Marie with an important decision.

Rose is very close to her older brother Sam. When a woman accuses him of rape, Rose is asked to testify in the investigation against him. This tests both their relationship and her moral integrity.