A Year Ago in Winter

A Year Ago in Winter German Im Winter ein Jahr is a 2008 German drama film directed by Caroline Link. It is based on the novel Aftermath by American author Scott Campbell, tellings the story of a complicated family situation. The painting featured in the film was made by the Munich artist Florian Sussmayr. The film score is composed by Niki Reiser.

The Munichbased interior designer Eliane commissions the painter Max Hollander to portrait her children Alexander and Lilly. Eliane wants it as a memorial of Alexander, who took his life about a year before. She provides pictures and videos of him for the painter. She wants Lilli to sit for a double portrait, but she is disgusted by the idea to have her dead brother on the wall for decoration. Unlike her mother, she is not disciplined and loses her leading role at the Theatre Academy because of disputes with her teacher. She tries unsuccessfully to find closeness and intimacy in her relationship with the artist Aldo.At the sessions with Max, Lilli is reserved at first whereas he seeks to look behind her facade and capture her character in the painting. He recognizes the profound relationship between the siblings and understands Lillis realm of feelings better and better. Thereby he also is able to connect to the personal losses in his own history. The relationship between painter and model deepens, and they trust each other more and more. ........

Source: Wikipedia