"Barbara" (Nina Hoss) makes the mistake of asking for an exit visa from East Germany and as a reward is posted to a remote rural clinic where despite the warm welcome of her boss "André" (Ronald Zehrfeld) she remains wary of her new surroundings. Convinced that the dreaded Stasi are behind every bush and monitoring every call, she tries to continue her clandestine affair with a west Berliner whilst planning a moment when she can abscond to the safety of Denmark. What she hadn't bargained on was her own gradually developing affinity with her new patients; especially the vulnerable young…