2003 film directed by Wolfgang Becker

Niko, a twenty-something college dropout, lives for the moment as he drifts through the streets of Berlin, curiously observing everyone around him and oblivious to his growing status as an outsider. Then on one fateful day, through a series of absurdly amusing encounters, everything changes.

A young teacher in East Berlin struggles with accepting his homosexuality.

Based on Michel Houellebecq's controversial novel, Atomised (aka The Elementary Particles) focuses on Michael and Bruno, two very different half-brothers and their disturbed sexuality. After a chaotic childhood with a hippie mother only caring for her affairs, Michael, a molecular biologist, is more interested in genes than women, while Bruno is obsessed with his sexual desires, but mostly finds his satisfaction with prostitutes. But Bruno's life changes when he gets to know the experienced Christiane. In the meantime, Michael meets Annabelle, the love of his youth, again.

13 people between the end of 60 and the middle 80: they have already experienced many things in their lives. Everyone has their own hopes, desires, conflicts and problems. What unites them is the longing for closeness — for a loving partner and the somewhat unusual way they have chosen to escape their loneliness: speed dating.