A biographical drama exploring the life and work of the German author Erich Kästner, tracing his childhood experiences in Dresden and his relationship with his devoted mother, which profoundly shaped his writing. The film weaves together his early years with later periods of his life, including his complicated existence in Nazi Germany, where he remained in the country despite being blacklisted. Through this portrait, it examines how personal memory and moral conscience informed the beloved children's author behind works such as Emil and the Detectives.