In the spring of 1961, four months before the construction of the Berlin Wall, twenty-year-old Siggi Molnar (Max Riemelt) came to Dresden to work as a stage painter at the theatre and to study at the Theatre Academy. He quickly made new friends, such as the young poet Luise (Jessica Schwarz), whose poems were banned as „decadent“ in the still young GDR. Luise introduces him to the company of the „Red Cockatoos“. Critics of the regime meet in the infamous nightclub to dance to western music, among them Luise’s husband, the fun-loving wool (Ronald Zehrfeld). A completely new, exciting world is opening up for Siggi. Much too late, he realizes what danger he’s in. State security has infiltrated the cockatoo clique. An informant uses his information to ensure that wool is arrested. When Siggi’s superior, the dramaturg Hurwitz (Devid Striesow), finally refuses him admission to university and he and his friends and acquaintances are tried by the „Red Cockatoo“, Siggi flees to the West. He struggles to get Luise, a convinced socialist, to promise to follow him. But only six days later the GDR closes its borders.